影の暴風雨 Shadow Tempest
by Rain Sky
Summary: Isolated, Surreal, Suffering. The pain is only momentary. But the scars last for eternity. This generation of Uchiha seems to have it all. Or do they have nothing? Every choice, lie, struggle. The flawed lives of flawed children. Chap summaries in profile
1. 1 Shadow Princess

**WARNING:** Although this story has been greatly modified to include an OC, spoilers are inevitable. At least up through chapter 301 of the manga. Beyond that, nothing's been released, so unless I think the exact same way Kishimoto thinks, I'm not going to be spoiling anything.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Well, unless Kishimoto finds this writing and likes it enough to add as an official side story. I don't own Ch'ae-Rim either. (See, I took the kanji from actress Pak Ch'ae-Rim's name and found the Japanese pronunciation. Since those words were uncommon, there were only a few pronunciations, and came out as "Sairin". Very unusual.

**Note:** I view Naruto as a time period of mixed modern and old Japanese. I will give all noble girls the title "princess" even if they are not royalty. It's much the same with how Jiraiya referred to Tsunade as "princess" because her grandfather was Hokage. I will include stuff that you would expect from traditional Japan as well as modern stuff from foreign nations outside Japan.

**Pairing:** Itachi/OC, one-sided Sasuke/OC

* * *

Sairin smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. _This must be a dream…_ Then, the flowing river was the last thing she saw before blackness. _Itachi? Itachi… Why… dearest friend…everything was going to be fine…_

* * *

"Sairin…" the young boy watched her lose consciousness. His arms were still around her, so she did not fall. "I'm sorry. I won't have you take part in this."

Sighing, he put a bag of provisions and medications inside her robes. Gazing at his friend, he lightly allowed his lips to touch her cheek. He then proceeded to leave her on the grass by the river.

An hour later, he returned, carrying pieces of wood and other pieces of buildings. He carefully laid each piece on top of Sairin.

"Please let this detain you. I hope someday, if I am not dead, that you can forgive me. Forgive me for being so weak. I can't live like this anymore."

* * *

The girl awoke in pain. She had some scrapes here and there on her fair skin. Most of the damage, however, came from her chest. _Ah… I think I may have some broken ribs…_ Sairin thought. Due to the fact that most of the rubble that had been on top of her body had moved, Sairin could push the remnants off. She used her remaining strength to rest by several trees. _Itachi…_

"Is she dead?"

"Enemy ninja attack? You think we should warn the Hokage?"

Sairin stirred. She had lost just a bit of sense to say, "Where am I?"

All the conversation stopped, but none answered. Finally, one woman spoke, "You are in the Hidden Village of Konoha of the Fire Country. You were found an hour ag o by some children. Do you… do you know what happened to you?" she asked carefully.

Sairin thought. And thought. "What! I… I cannot remember… but I… I have the feeling I knew everything just a bit earlier…" Tears of frustration reached the young girl's eyes, but she fought them back and prevailed.

Several adults glanced at teach other. The same woman stepped forward once more, "Do you know… well, is there anything amnesia hasn't touched?"

"I…" Sairin started, cut short by pain. Sairin just had the feeling it would be wise not to trust these strangers so easily. "I am called… Satomi… I have a meaningful family name, but I cannot remember it. I am adept at Nature jutsu…"

As it turns out, Sairin lost all memory of human interactions, but basic skills such as reading, writing, and speaking were all intact.

"Well it wouldn't do for you to run around alone," the first woman said. "Satomi, was it? My name is Masumi. I am a Medical-nin. Oh! I should treat your injuries right away." Masumi got to work splintering Sairin's partially crushed body.

"Thank you for the treatment," Sairin said softly with gratitude as she got to her feet. "I'll be on my way now." Before anyone could protest, Sairin had walked off without looking back."

"Kids these days!" an old man muttered exasperatedly.

Masumi nodded. "We have another one all battered up in the village. Some Uchiha Sasuke… he's so cold, arrogant, and independent!"

* * *

"Eh? What's this? A girl was found injured along the river?"

"Sir! Isn't that near the Uchiha property?"

"Yes… but… that prodigy Itachi would never be so merciful. He left his younger brother Sasuke alive but in a terrible mental state. This girl had only minor injuries and amnesia. Didn't you say there seemed to be no sign of a struggle?"

"Yes, but, there is a possibility…"

"Enough. This matter is dismissed. There is no one in the Uchiha clan with the name of Satomi, anyway."

* * *

Sairin came across a magnificent property… or rather, _was_ magnificent. Some of the smaller buildings looked as though someone had forcibly broken it down. The dead bodies of the residents were everywhere.

"Wh… What is this?"

_Could they be my family? Then… it was a good idea to use the name Satomi. I don't know anything about the killer. What if the killer returns if he learns I live?_

Sairin's hand automatically came up to her neck and stroked a beautiful pendant. "Hm? What's this?"

* * *

"So you're looking for people of the Hyuuga clan who might be your family?" the secretary checked with the eight year old girl in front of her. Sairin nodded so she proceeded. "No, the Hyuuga records have nothing of a lost daughter."

"I see," Sairin said resignedly.

The woman took pity on the little girl, "Well, as you know, Hyuuga irises are a clearer colour than your sparkling blue ones. Would you like me to check the records of other families?"

"No thank you," Sairin replied. "It would be too tragic. I don't want to know about all the families who lost children in other years. I shall only inquire if I get a specific name, and it is reasonable for me to be their child."

As Sairin left, the slim woman thought, _A wise and interesting girl…

* * *

_

A young boy of almost fourteen years stared into his mirror. He performed a few hand seals, and suddenly transformed into a smaller girl. Though he did not get much thinner, he got shorter, his black hair was tainted blue, and his dark eyes turned the colour of the ocean in tropical areas.

"Itachi? Ita...chi…" As suddenly as he had turned into the girl, he resumed his usual appearance, and slammed his fists onto the floor. The floor broke from his strength, but he paid no attention. "I am beyond jounin level, but I cannot imitate a girl just to talk to myself? Why am I even talking to myself? Why can't I remember how she speaks?"

Calming down, he whispered more evenly, "Sairin… Sasuke… I can't go back."

* * *

Elsewhere, a boy with a face equally beautiful faced his home. His face wasn't tired, but it was lined with suffering. Sitting in a large estate all alone, the emptiness in his heart overwhelmed him. Tears of pain and sorrow slid down his exquisite face. "Itachi, why did you… have to do this? I have everything: money, potential… but I don't have my friends and family! Sairin… Sairin is gone too… Itachi…"

* * *

Four years passed. Sairin had traveled the world, unbound by duties to any one place. Sairin still kept her precious pendant and chain in perfect condition. It was the only connection to her past, but she never once used the name engraved there: "To our dearest friend Sairin." After all, Sairin had reasoned, there had to have been a reason for the slaughter of a clan near where she was found. _I don't want to disrespect them if I was one of them, but I can't reveal myself as a survivor. To the world, I am Satomi. Shadow Princess Satomi. I am satisfied to be Satomi, but I do wish Sairin would awaken and teach me of all my lost memories._

Sairin breathed the fresh scent of the village of Konoha she w as entering. This was her rightful home, but she had spent most of her last four years traveling. Sairin perfected old skills in different conditions and learned new skills, making her a diverse shinobi-to-be.

She wandered cautiously to the academy. By now, she had memorized almost every single location, and traveled with ease. Sairin made her way to the staff room. She entered and indiscriminately tapped the shoulder of the first person she saw.

"Yes?" came the slow careless response of the tall silver-haired man.

Sairin wasted no time. "Please let me try out for the chuunin exams!"

The man was taken aback. "What?"

"Do you not understand?" Sairin asked impatiently. "Or do you find me unqualified to undergo an examination to become a chuunin? I assure you, I am as qualified as any genin!" Sairin stated firmly.

The man sighed, "Very well, if you insist." This girl wasn't going to back down. Something about her seemed familiar… even promising. Besides, what's the harm? Give her a mandatory pretest. Then if she fails, she fails. _Four genin nominated this year… what a surprise. And this one doesn't even seem like a genin._ "Well, I'll need your name, then. I'll also need your age and registration ID and birthday."

"If you don't mind, your name first," Sairin's instilled distrust compelled her to say. She hadn't meant to sound so insolent and hostile. By now, she couldn't help it.

He was taken aback once more, but agreed with Sairin's thinking. "I am Hatake Kakashi. You?"

"Sai…" she paused. "Satomi. Shadow Princess Satomi." As she left, she said, "Please remember."

Hatake blinked. "What does she take me for? Oh well, back to Icha Icha Paradaisu!" He returned to his book without a care.

He did not notice that he forgot to get Sairin's other personal information.

* * *

Sairin had bypassed the pretest easily. Not enough was known about her to use emotions against her. After all, every time she made a new friend in a particular place, she would say fare well too soon. However, Sairin made up for it by undergoing a rigorous physical test. She had to face a jounin in combat. Sairin was supposed to stay out of the reach of the jounin's attacks for ten minutes. Instead, she attacked the jounin with a variety of foreign techniques. The examiners allowed the fight to continue longer than intended until Sairin knocked the jounin out at fifteen minutes. The jounin did not suffer any serious injuries, but had to be taken away for treatment. The examiners were stunned.

"Quite a catch you found there, Hatake," one examiner commented dazedly.

* * *

"Eh? Sounds like conflict up ahead," Sairin mused outside the door to the first chuunin exam.

Kakashi was waiting right outside. "Satomi. The test you will be taking is no different from what anyone else is taking. But your situation is different, and thus you will face the test differently."

"Yes, Hatake," Sairin took his words to heart. Before entering, she paused. "Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to take this test."

Inside, there was indeed a disagreement. _Such open hostility_, she thought.

"Break it up," Sairin commanded. She took a moment to glance at the others. At the center of the hostility were the three genin of Oto, nine newbie genin of Konoha, and an experienced genin of Konoha – wait. _That man seems so powerful. Is he really too dull to pass the test? The Oto genin… there's not much to note. They seem to be the average genin ready to take a chuunin exam. As for the Konoha newbies…There's a timid Hyuuga. I see she has a relative also taking the chuunin exams. Ha, I would know them anywhere. I can't believe I once thought I might have been a missing Hyuuga. There's a boy with a dog on his head. Could he be an Inuzuka? There's a boy who can manipulate bugs. I definitely don't want to mess with him unless I want to choke on ants. That boy over there… he keeps eating, but he can transform into a form much bigger, and with great power. It's in his chakra. That other boy… the one with the dark clothes… I passed him earlier. He's brilliant, but lazy. Nara Shikamaru. The blonde can enter people's minds. I over heard about her family at their flower shop. Apparently, she's a refined young lady skilled in ikebana. Hm? That boy dressed in orange… I can feel enormous chakra, but it doesn't seem like he can use it well yet. He doesn't seem too bright, either. The girl with pink hair is good at theory. She doesn't seem strong-willed enough to carry out the theory, though. She has good potential. I wonder what will become of her. The last one… that boy seems very intelligent and capable. He looks so lonely, though. It's such a tragedy. He's a very good-looking boy._

At that moment, the striking boy looked directly into Sairin's eyes. Sairin was quite surprised, but held her gaze. The boy did not look away, even after a few minutes had passed, causing Sairin to feel a bit unsettled.

"Hey you!" an angry voice called. "Who do you think you are, stepping in? Where's your squad?" It was one of the Oto genin.

_Can they not sense, this Konoha genin seems to be jounin level?_

"God, Abumi, calm down. She doesn't even have a protector. She's probably just a messenger," his teammate Tsuchi Kin dismissed Sairin.

"How flattering. I am Satomi, the Shadow Princess," Sairin coolly answered.

At the same time, the pretty boy said, "Uchiha Sairin!"

Sairin looked around at him. "I think you are mistaken. My name is Satomi." _Actually, he could be right. I can wield Sharingan. But how could I be born to such a prestigious family? The Uchiha were decimated. Why would I be a survivor? I'm nothing special. But he knew my name…_ "You are?"

"U-Uchiha Sasuke," he stammered.

_That settles it. He's too pretty to be in the same clan as me._

"You haven't answered all my questions!" the impatient Zaku Abumi demanded.

"Well… I don't have a squad. And I think I have a bit of priority, as I am the only one who had to face a jounin to be here."

"What!" the boy was taken aback. "No way. Genin can't survive against jounin."

"Then take your weak genin image and shove it up your ass!" the volume of Sairin's voice rose as she began to lose her composure. "I was supposed to avoid the attacks of the jounin for ten minutes. Instead, the fight drawled on until I knocked him out after fifteen minutes!"

"Liar!" He charged at her. Sairin, in the span of a second, summoned Hyousen. The powerful chakra hail immediately knocked him out.

"Liar?" Sairin scornfully repeated. "Oh, I can see every single liar in this room, but not a single mirror." She allowed her eyes to meet those of the silver haired, jounin-level Konoha genin. From his expression, he did not miss her point.

In a blast of smoke, the examiners arrived. The test was on.

* * *

The genin were each assigned a seat. To Sairin's surprise, she was seated next to Uchiha Sasuke. Knowing that he would be a good ally, she tried to make conversation.

"Um. You seem really sad all the time and it's such a waste because you have such a beautiful face!" Sairin blurted. _Ack! That was so stupid!_ "I mean, you look as if life wasn't quite fair to you."

Sasuke said nothing but nodded.

"I'm guessing you don't want to talk about it, either."

"But… are you Sairin? Or not?"

"I might be Sairin. I woke up one day by a river with no recollection of anything. I had only a pendant," Sairin stopped, turning to Sasuke.

"'_To our dearest friend Sairin_'," Sasuke recited. "It was a gift for her 8th birthday. December 1st. My brother and I bought it together. It was… the last gift. Not long after that, my brother decimated our clan."

"I'm sorry… I don't remember our clan at all… I've lived as Satomi," Sairin whispered, eyes still wide open. This was the first time that Sairin was given hope of a family who knew her, who would accept her. "I saw nearby, a clan of dead shinobi. I did not see any emblem. The eight year old I fled too quickly. My family was killed. I didn't know why, but I knew that maintaining the name Sairin might attract an assassin to finish the job. I've traveled the world, perfecting techniques that felt natural to me. I suppose those are the ones Sairin practiced. I also learned many foreign techniques."

After a brief silence, Sasuke spoke, "Satomi. You may not remember Sairin now, but…" Sasuke trailed off momentarily. "Thank you for living."

Sairin thought for a fleeting time that Sasuke's face was lit with happiness. "Many times, I wondered who I was. I should be the one thanking you for living."

Turning to her paper, she found new troubles. _What in all seven hells! These aren't questions normal genin would know… and… not even some chuunin. There must be something I'm missing. Two points are deducted for cheating… and getting caught? So we are supposed to cheat but avoid the eyes of the examiners? But who to cheat off of… ah, I see now. Not all the test-takers are genin. That silver haired man earlier must have been one of the jounin hidden as a genin. He must be here to test if the genin can figure out who is the correct person to cheat off of. But really, he must be among the oldest genin! How is that a disguise?_

_Sharingan!_ Sairin's eyes flashed red for an instant and returned to the usual turquoise. _Hm… in front of me, there are a lot of people who seem to be doing fine… but which are the ones with the absolute correct answers? I sensed some people whose heartbeats seem to be unusual, and weeded them out as liars. If only I had looked then for the faces… For now, I'll just do the ones I know._

Sairin began filling out all the questions involving formulae.

"How do you know all the answers?" Sasuke whispered, noticing how quickly her pencil moved out of the corner of his Sharingan eye.

"I had no memories. I lived every day just to grow stronger. That being my only purpose, I learned the formulae through every day practical life."

"You can't hold onto Sharingan for the ones you don't know?"

"I could. But it's much more obvious when I use it. Your eyes are black, so a dark red isn't a big contrast. My eyes are aqua blue. It would be too obvious. If I use it to copy every stroke, someone will be sure to catch me. If I only copy fragments… well I can't see how helpful that would be," Sairin reasoned softly.

"…" Sasuke wondered if he could do anything. The Sharingan which filled in anything he didn't know could not directly help her. But perhaps indirectly… _Why? Why do I still love Sairin? Even before, she didn't love me._ "Make a diversion."

Sairin understood. Perfectly. Even after all these years, their hearts functioned as one. _What should I do? How about a red herring?_

Without movement of any kind, Sairin conjured a Sand Funeral in the back of the room. And without fail, everyone looked back. Sairin turned to her left and Sasuke to his right. Both sets of Sharingan caught each other's tests momentarily before returning to normal. Both Uchiha had turned with such great speed, turning Sharingan on and off so fleetingly it was a wonder they had captured any information. They were both wise enough to stare wide-eyed at the disruption, as if they did not expect it.

The room filled with murmurs. The individuals each gasped to themselves, as most did not care for the strangers they were seated with.

"Those three from the Sunagakure no Sato must really be confident! Setting off such a technique during a test!"

"You're missing the point. They're showing their power!"

The much annoyed examiners finally quieted the room and the test continued after they gave the Sand siblings death-glares.

"That was… a Sand Funeral… how?"

"I lived only to get stronger, and with no real home," Sairin reminded. "I was at the Sunagakure two years ago. Then, not only did I receive some training from a respected woman named Chiyo, I had my Sharingan with which to watch Gaara."

"Stay at the main Uchiha estate. You are entitled to," Sasuke added, pinkness tainting his white skin.

"Thank you," Sairin's heart fluttered a bit. _A place to belong to…_

They continued to fill in the answers they had just captured from each other.

"Oh… no…" Sairin scolded herself mentally. "I forgot number 5."

Sasuke looked at his sheet. Eight. But the security was tight. He couldn't simply say the answer. "Satomi. How old were you when you received your necklace?"

Sairin stared into space for a moment. "I was… that's right." As she filled in random drawings onto her paper to throw off the eyes of the examiners, she answered, "I was four."

Sasuke inwardly smiled. _Thank the gods for this fateful day._

On the other hand, Sairin was having a rough time erasing her random doodles. _I pressed too hard, goddammit!_ In the end, she just drew more pictures to make the partially erased ones more natural, and then put "8" in the box.

The time after that passed rapidly. Soon, it was time for the last question.

The head examiner, Morino Ibiki, wasted no time giving the genin the details, "If you get this last question wrong, you will automatically be failed, with your squad mates. Also, you will be forbidden from taking the chuunin exams ever again. Anyone who wishes to wait another may leave now."

Some of the genin panicked and asked to leave, apologizing to squad mates. So many left in the end that Sairin thought there was few enough people so that she could memorize all of their names.

"Anyone else?" Morino checked.

Sairin thought she heard Sasuke say, "Naruto."

At that moment, the blond haired boy with the orange clothes stood up. "I just want to say that I won't back down! Even if I get this question wrong, I don't need to become chuunin to become Hokage!"

With renewed courage to stand up to authority, Sairin summoned up her own voice. "I agree with that boy. 'Chuunin' is just a title. Being barred from claiming official titles does not keep one from getting stronger. I defeated a jounin and I was never even an academy student! I chose this path, and I will walk firmly down it to the very end!"

The other test-takers' confidence soared. They talked to the ones beside them and agreed that they must be resolute.

"Well then, you all have passed!"

The room returned to silence.

"What about the tenth question?" the blonde boy asked again.

"There is none. It was a test of whether or not you would take a big risk, even though, judging by the other questions, it would be an impossible question. It was a test of whether or not you would take a big risk, losing everything if you failed."

* * *

Sairin left the examination room with something of a company. She was escorted by Sasuke. Sasuke was followed by his teammates of Uzumaki Naruto, the outspoken blond haired boy, and Haruno Sakura, the girl with pink hair. Sasuke was also chased by other admiring girls who were determined to keep Sasuke from getting along too well with the "new girl". Squad mates of these fan girls tagged along to attempt to remove their partners from Sasuke.

Before heading out to the second stage, the reduced group was greeted by Kakashi. He forced the remaining fan girls to leave, much to the relief of the girls' squad mates.

"So… all of you passed…" Hatake eyed the squad.

"What do you mean, all of us passed!" Sakura demanded. "I mean, we did, but Satomi isn't… well she isn't in Team 7," she finished meekly.

"That's true, but Satomi is taking the chuunin exam with special permission from me," he explained. "I'll admit, I didn't think anything of you until I saw your pretest. You completely outdid yourself," Kakashi remarked to Sairin.

"Thank you, Mr. Hatake," Sairin bowed, "If you did not give me the chance, there would have been no jounin to knock out."

"The next stage of your exam will once again seem different from what other squads face, even though the task is the same. I have spoken to the examiner, and I don't know if she has come up with a special test for you."

"I know you have had to bend the rules to enter me into the chuunin exams. I will not let your work go to waste," Sairin declared.

"Best of luck to you, Shadow Princess," he turned to leave, but then paused. "And good luck to you three also."

* * *

The second examiner, Mitarashi Anko, was one true to her duties. She immediately led all the genin to the Forest of Death without a break. She explained that each group would start from a gate and reach the tower in the center in five days' time. Each squad would begin with a scroll and have to defeat another squad with the complementary scroll. Any squad which fails to do this is disqualified, with or without their lives.

Mitarashi Anko called groups up individually so that no other squad could see which groups had the complementary 'heaven' or 'earth' scroll. She also gave them strict instructions to not open either scroll until they reached their destination.

Sairin was unnerved about the task. But what bothered her was that her presence ruined the balance of twenty six squads. With her, either a squad will get extra help, or somehow Mitarashi would have to throw in two extra scrolls for one extra ninja.

"Shadow Princess Satomi!"

"Your turn…" Sasuke turned to his returned childhood friend. "Best of luck to you…"

Sairin nodded. "Same to you. I expect to see you! Promise?"

"I swear it upon our Sharingan," Sasuke declared, smiling.

Sairin smiled back, noticing that Sakura had caught the word 'our'. Sakura dismissed it, though, because she understood some things are meant to be secret. Sairin lightheartedly floated to the table in the tent where Anko awaited. Her worry returned.

"No need to be so worried!" Anko spoke with both an easy and badass attitude, as if reading her mind. "Kakashi explained your exact situation after we all watched your qualifying match." Since Sairin said nothing, Mitarashi continued. "He asked me to take your situation into consideration. When we last spoke, I told him my best plan was to give you a squad. However, I think I have a better idea! Since your abilities definitely surpass jounin, you should watch over the squads!"

"Hm! What do you mean?"

"The chuunin exams aren't just a test. It's a show of power. Some nations send in jounin disguised as genin to make their country look good. Report everything to me!"

As soon as the exam began, Sairin set off looking for the nearest squad. She quickly found Asuma's team. _Nope, I know for sure they are true genin._ The next team she met was Hyuuga Neji and his two friends, and boy and a girl. _They're genin, too, even though Neji-kun might just be of chuunin level._

"Eh?" Sairin whirled around. _Ewwww! Leeches!_ Sairin had to react quickly, "Hisame! Soubi!" A downpour drenched everything while the leeches were frozen into ice by Sairin's Soubi.

"Disgusting," Sairin muttered. _This can't be the worst of it. I hope Sasuke-kun is all right. He's intelligent, so I shouldn't be worrying like this. I wonder if I might meet him on the way. I refuse to let my only clansman die! Still, this is a special job I'm doing. I can't let my own selfish desires keep me from doing my job well._

Sairin wandered around, running into only beasts of varying difficulty. It was a long while, before she came across a squad of ninja from the Kusagakure no Sato. They were dead and faceless.

"What?" Sairin hated talking to herself, but this scene was so horrifying. "Who, or rather what, did this?

Footsteps approached. A familiar voice called out, "Satomi!' Mitarashi Anko was being led by two examiners. As she got nearer, her eyes widened as well. Mitarashi turned to the examiners, "Do you have pictures of how the faces of these ninja were supposed to look like?"

The examiners found the photos. Sairin saw from Mitarashi's reaction that she recognized the ninja. "Orochi – this is bad. Shadow Princess! Your new orders are to find this man," she pointed to one of the photos. "He is a dangerous man. From what I've seen, you should at least be able to hold your own. Don't try to defeat him. Send a signal to get my aid. You two! Report to Hokage-sama and prepare many Anbu!"

In a less hurried tone, she asked, "Shadow Princess. Have you ever heard of a man named Orochimaru?"

Sairin nodded. "He is a member of the Sannin. He is exceptionally powerful but is twisted enough to use humans for his experiments. He is an S class criminal."

"Yes," Mitarashi affirmed that Sairin knew of her opponent. She made to leave.

"One more thing." Mitarashi was stopped. Sairin continued, "Throughout the years, I have been to the Otogakure no Sato. I have collected rumors that Orochimaru was the one who founded that village."

Mitarashi Anko felt secure about letting Sairin go alone. Sairin soon came across a heated battle. No, it wasn't a battle. On one side was the still alive Sasuke. On the other side was the very shinobi Sairin had been told to find. That shinobi wasn't fighting Sasuke. He was merely toying with him.

"Sasuke!" Sairin flew down, her heart feeling a bit of relief.

"Stay back!" he yelled. "This guy is beyond any level you can compare -"

"No way! You think I will sit back and let you die?" Sairin inquired with silent rage. "I happen to be able to hold my own and even knock out jounin. This man… he is an S-ranked criminal and Missing-nin! He is Orochimaru of the Sannin!" Sairin shouted to put emphasis on the cold facts.

Sasuke registered everything. "Sa… Sannin… we don't have a chance! Run!" he commanded Naruto, Sakura, and Sairin.

"I don't think so," Orochimaru stated. He forced Sasuke to remain with his elemental attacks.

Sakura and Naruto refused to leave without Sasuke. Sairin knew her duty. In short, none of them ran.

"Hey, python-crap!" Sairin called. "I am your target. Leave the others alone."

Orochimaru eyed Sairin carefully. He smiled, which sent shivers down her spine. "And I thought Sasuke was the only Uchiha left alive. Tch. He's softer than he acts."

"Wait!" Naruto interrupted. "I've just been swallowed by a snake, and now there are more Uchiha? Just what we needed, more people like Sasuke!"

Naruto received four glares. For Sakura, she had already deduced that the newcomer was another surviving Uchiha. She did not press the topic, knowing that it did not truly concern her. However, Naruto's comment sent her over the edge. "You make that sound like it's such a disaster!"

"Of course it is! What with their entire pretty boy, super prodigy arrogance!"

"Satomi is a girl."

"That's not the point. They're all arrogant bastards."

"I beg to differ," Sairin and Sasuke dully said at the same time. Sasuke paused. "You first? I can tell off this dumbass anytime."

Sairin smiled in gratitude. "You're forgetting that I'm not pretty, so shut up!"

All three other ninja stared at her. Sakura thought, _If she's not pretty, then the rest of us just ought to commit suicide! That's taking modesty too far!_

Sasuke dazedly volunteered, "I think she means to say that her parents were married before having her." _That was great Uchiha pride there. I don't pride myself on my looks, but I'd never insult my looks._

"How would she remember!" Naruto demanded. "Didn't you say she can't remember anything from her past?"

"Well… I know my parents were married two years before my elder brother was born. I also happen to know that all Uchiha are forbidden from tainting their bodies before marriage," Sasuke retorted coolly. "So there. We are all legitimate children."

"You legitimate children seem to be forgetting me," Orochimaru said icily, stepping in to bring attention back to himself. _How could four brats ignore an S-ranked criminal? They didn't even care about me for a few moments!_

"I'll take care of you!" Naruto charged at Orochimaru. "All you care about is Sasuke! I'll make you remember me more than any Uchiha!"

Orochimaru easily brushed Naruto aside. Naruto hit a tree and fell unconscious. Aside from the gap in power, Naruto was also rash and impractical. "Quite the contrary. I am concerned about this new girl as well, Sairin, if I recall."

Both Uchiha activated their Sharingan with flashing eyes.

"I never mentioned the name I held in the life I can no longer recall…"

Orochimaru continued, as if he did not hear her, "Heh. Two such remarkably beautiful Uchiha, with such great potential. The girl even has Mangekyou Sharingan. I should be satisfied with either, but I prefer a male body."

"Shut… UP!" Sairin screamed. "We are not objects for you. We are people!" Sairin lunged at Orochimaru, but two strong arms caught her. "What? I was caught?"

"It was no easy task. I barely managed to follow your speed."

Sairin recognized the voice as that of the silver haired jounin earlier. _What was his name again? Yakushi Kabuto? Was that how he introduced himself?_ "Yakushi Kabuto."

"So honored you remember me." The silver haired man pulled Sairin closer to him. Sairin struggled. This was much too close, and caused Sairin to become a bit worried. All her previous training was on not getting caught. How to escape? Kabuto continued, "If you don't need this girl, I certainly will take her."

Orochimaru gagged. "That's a twelve year old girl!" Sasuke and Sakura were shocked that such a thing would disgust even Orochimaru.

"Please?" Kabuto begged. "You don't need her."

At that moment, Sasuke charged at Kabuto. Sasuke kicked him off Sairin. "You… traitor of Konoha… get away from her!" In a fury, Sasuke summoned up chakra enough to use Goukakyuu and Housenka at the same time.

"Ack… okay, okay…" Kabuto backed off. "Don't use up all your chakra before we can get you…"

Too late. Orochimaru had run out of patience, and attacked Sasuke, leaving marks on Sasuke's neck. He said just a few last words, "A parting gift, if you will."

After both Orochimaru and Kabuto left, Sasuke's condition worsened. He was always pale and fair, but his complexion had turned a very unhealthy yellow.

"A seal?" Sairin muttered. "I have to report back to Mitarashi! It looks almost like it might be a cursed seal. Perhaps it was the one known as 'Heaven'?" Turning to Sakura, she added, "Cursed seals vary greatly. Don't tell Naruto anything until Sasuke is ready to let him know. I will have to leave after…" Hearing her friend's labored breathing, Sairin immediately stopped talking and tried some medical jutsu she had picked up in the Sunagakure. "Sasuke… I won't let you die. I'll never let you go. Please believe me."

_I've never seen such a seal before, but if I'm correct, Sasuke only has a ten percent chance of surviving its effects! I gave him a little bit of help, refreshing his body and all, but it's really all down to Sasuke now._ Not wanting to see the pain in Sasuke's eyes any longer, Sairin shot fireworks into the air, and then pursued Orochimaru, much to Sasuke's protest. Every twenty feet, Sairin fired more colorful explosives. It gave her position away, but the main trouble was Orochimaru, and he definitely did not need her fireworks to locate her.

Soon enough, Sairin found the two Oto-nin. "Orochimaru! What in all seven hells… why did you put a 'Heaven' cursed seal on Sasuke? What would be the point of hurting him? How does giving him pain benefit you?"

Orochimaru smirked. "So… despite all your inborn talent and your training, you are still just a naïve twelve year old spoiled brat."

"Spoiled?" Sairin repeated scornfully. "I can't remember if I was ever spoilt. I just know that in the four years of memory I _do_ have, I have never had more than a sufficient amount to live on. Of the times that I did have a great amount of funds, I have always worked for it. I have never had money simply handed down to me. 'Spoiled brat' describes neither me nor Sasuke."

"Earlier you seemed to know a bit about me," he commented, "so I thought you might have been a bit more perceptive. I have found a way to become immortal. However, nothing can prevent bodies from aging. I must continue to transfer bodies."

"And Sasuke's body appeals to you because he hails from the noble Uchiha clan," Sairin finished, cold fury dripping from each word.

"Satomi!" Anko called distantly. Sairin turned to see Mitarashi leaping from tree to tree. She was alone, with no Anbu reinforcements to support her. She neared, and Orochimaru's eyes sparkled in amusement. "Orochimaru!" She reached the two ninja. Two? Kabuto had been long gone by then. Sairin was uneasy about his reasons for escape as well as how easily he had escaped. Anko glared at Orochimaru. "Sairin, you can leave now. This is my fight. This is my duty."

If there was one thing Sairin learned, it was that sensibly, she should stay. However, since this appeared to be a personal conflict, Sairin knew she should also respect them and leave.

_My clansman will be in pain. Even if he is the one in ten that survives, he will be in no condition to finish the exam. What can I do? What should I do?_ Sairin thought as she left the examiner and the criminal behind. _I can't directly help Sasuke because then that would be unjust to the other genin._

Frustrated, Sairin hit a tree with great force and knocked it over. Her eyes widened. _I shouldn't have done that. The tree did nothing to merit having its life taken away._ Despite that, a little bit of the bottled up anger slipped away, giving Sairin a bit of relief. Sairin continued knocking down trees until she had cleared away enough trees to create a clearing in the forest.

_Now that's really stupid. How can they call it a Forest of Deathwhen I have madeso many clearings for sunshine to creep in?

* * *

_

Sairin wound up doing nothing. She simply arrived at the tower and paced around the room. She was once more ill at ease, seeing the Sand siblings. Sairin had met Gaara once before, and had hoped never to meet him again until she was quite powerful.

* * *

_It was drier than she liked, but the beauty of the desert amazed Sairin. With its endless golden sand dunes and dark blue sky, it was a wonder to behold. In the city, enough shade could be found to overcome Sairin's first inconvenience._

_"Now let's see…" Sairin turned to look around. "I'll need a contract with the local entertainment company, and then a place to stay for the next three months or so. Then, if I'm not too tired, I'll find someone who will accept me as their apprentice," Sairin smiled to herself. Sure, it was unusual to see a girl wandering around, looking for a teacher in a foreign land every so often. However, it worked. Sairin's mastery of various jutsu skyrocketed in the last year. Having no memories of life before last year, Sairin was free to go anywhere. At first, Sairin had no idea how to live, just that she needed to constantly move. Within the first week, Sairin had been taken in by a performing company. They had listened to her singing by the river, and found her voice one that could be used professionally. Now, she would travel and make temporary contracts with entertainment businesses wherever she went._

_Sairin had to utilize conversations with the local people in order to find several entertainment agencies. After having been interviewed by and interviewing each, Sairin settled on working for _Desert Elegance. I'd better remember the name for my next visit here. Otherwise I will have to do this every time I go to a new area.

_The Wind Country was a major nation, and had its share of luxury hotels to choose from. Sairin quickly found one suitable to her tastes, and then weighed her options in her room._

_"I wonder if I should rest now. I'm tired, but it's mid-afternoon. I can't spend so much time sleeping!" Still, Sairin needed rest. The clock read three, so Sairin set the alarm for five thirty. The heat of the desert would be less intense then, and would allow Sairin to search with less discomfort.

* * *

_

_"Wow! The desert is just as pretty at night!" Sairin childishly exclaimed. Walking down the streets leisurely, Sairin casually scanned for any powerful people who may have skills to offer her. _Even if they don't, I'll just pick a fight and use Sharingan.

_Sairin felt no particular draw to anyone until she came across a lone boy. He was young, perhaps a year older than she was. He had red hair and blue-green eyes. He looked nearly normal, except he carried a large gourd on his back and had deep black circles around his eyes. Soon enough, Sairin saw what the gourd was for._

_A couple boys were playing together. When they saw the boy with the gourd, they instantly turned hostile. Even though he was just passing by, they glared at him, saying, "What do you want now, you monster?"_

_Obviously, he did not appreciate being randomly insulted. The plug of his gourd came off and his chakra began shifting. Sairin activated Sharingan. She watched as grains of sand fused with ancient chakra sped towards the boys and pinned them to the wall harshly. More sand was manipulated until the boys nearly suffocated. Sairin watched as Gaara's fist slowly clenched tighter._

_"Wait!" Sairin ran towards them. Gaara dropped the boys and returned the sand to his gourd. The boys fell with a big impact onto the ground and gasped for air. Gaara glared at her, as if to say, _What did you stop me for?

_"They were rude and insolent, but they did not deserve death," Sairin carefully chose her words, knowing that she had no firm strategy to oppose the jutsu. "If you have no skill that simply injures a person, than let me punish them."_

_"Tch. They aren't worth my time to negotiate. Still, I was looking forward to testing my new Sand Burial technique. I haven't had time to fully perfect it._" _The boy walked away, noting Sairin's unusual chakra, but ignoring her as well._

_"Wait!" Sairin called. _Sand Burial? It seems as though he could be a potential teacher for me. Still, he could use a lesson in etiquette. _"What's your problem? They were the ones who insulted you unprovoked, but you overreacted."_

_"You would too if you were in my place." He then walked away silently._

_Turning to the boys, Sairin said, "You two are idiots for insulting him. Aren't you two locals? Why would you try to offend someone so powerful?"_

_They sputtered pathetic excuses. "He's a monster! They're a monster inside him, literally! That's the younger prince of the Wind Country, Gaara. Can you imagine a prince being such a monster?"_

_"You mean, he has a demon sealed within him," Sairin stated. They nodded. "Well, he can't help that. Besides, that's no reason for you guys to be impertinent. He has a lot of physical power and influence." The two boys were a bit disheartened to find themselves being told what to do by a girl, but they just nodded and left.

* * *

_

_Sairin's first visit to the Sunagakure went all right. Eventually, she found a woman named Chiyo who taught her to control Sand better than she had learned from Sharingan. Chiyo also taught her several medical jutsu._

_On her own, Sairin experimented with the sand. Sairin was able to shape sand into shuriken and use it as such. Sairin also learned how to use sand to create a clone. It was good progress for her first encounter, but the gap between her ability and that of a natural sand user was very noticeable. Sairin's mastery did not allow her to use great amounts of sand the way most sand shinobi could._

_One day, near the end of her first stay at Sunagakure, Sairin met Gaara once more. Sairin watched from afar as he trained. _It's as if getting stronger is all he has to live for. He's just like me. I have no place to go. I have nowhere to belong to. The only thing I can do is to become powerful and then die. He's so driven because he can find no other purpose for his existence. _Sairin watched with awe as he practiced crushing other minerals into useable sand, and turned solid rock into a large pool of quicksand._

_At long last he stopped, and turned to Sairin's direction. "How long do you intend to watch me train?"_

_Sairin stepped out from her hiding spot and approached him. "I will be leaving soon. I have learned quite a substantial amount from watching you and being taught by Chiyo. I am not a born sand user, but I hope that in future years when I make return trips to Sunagakure, I can improve to your level, Lord Gaara."_

_A hint of pain flashed through Gaara's eyes. Perhaps this was because he felt that the root of his power was the Shukaku which cursed his life. Perhaps this was because all his life, his title was meaningless to how people felt about him. In the end, all he said was, "If a lowlife like you can reach my level, I'll swallow this gourd without transforming."

* * *

_

_Well, I guess I'm seeing him again now, _Sairin thought dryly. _My sand skills have greatly improved, but I haven't focused much in them. I bet he's thinking that I'm really slow and weak right now. Gaara probably got a hundred times stronger than he was._

In spite of her worries, Gaara barely acknowledged her presence. His two siblings Temari and Kankurou were warmer than Gaara was, but that wasn't saying much. Sairin returned the kindness by inspecting them thoroughly. Sairin hadn't seen much of them during the first and second exams, but now was as good a time as any to catch up. She learned that Temari was the true Wind user in the family. Temari used a giant fan to boost her chakra winds. Kankurou took after the puppet master Sasori instead. He was so dedicated to his art that he constantly wore Kabuki makeup. Sairin sensed great power stemming from their bodies, and instantly knew why they were able to complete the second task in record time with no trouble.

Sairin left the tower several times to check on squads. She didn't know what became of Mitarashi Anko after she fought Orochimaru. Still, her job was to make sure that no jounin were unbalancing the exam. Sairin verified that all groups were genin except for the individuals of Orochimaru and Kabuto.

After a few days, other squads began entering the tower. It didn't feel as awkward with others besides the Sand trio. When the seventh day dawned and Sasuke was nowhere to be seen, Sairin grew worried. In her worry, Sairin fell asleep and dreamed a strange and distant memory… a memory that was not hers alone…

* * *

_"Sorry Sasuke. Maybe next time."_

_"Ow! Mm…watch this, brother! Yaaaaaa!"_

_"Hey, wait! Don't be unrealis-"_

_"Aaaah!"_

_Sairin peeked around and was nearly hit by a boy her own age. He landed softly onto some leaves, and appeared fine._

_"Ow…" he winced, glancing down at his left foot._

_"Are you ok?" Sairin asked, in a small voice._

_"Sasuke!" an older boy came running over._

_Sairin looked at them. Brothers. They both had beautiful features. Sairin blushed slightly to be so close to such stunning ninja._

_The older boy turned to Sairin. "I'm sorry…Sasuke was a bit energetic, and I didn't know how to prepare myself. My name is Itachi, and this is my brother Sasuke."_

_"Delighted to make your acquaintance," she answered cautiously. "My name is Sairin. Is Sasuke going to be fine?"_

_Itachi smiled. "Yes… You're stronger than that, right, Sasuke?"_

_To which the younger Sasuke said, "Of course!"_

_"Well, it's getting late," Itachi said, looking at the orange sky. "Come on Sasuke. Hop on. I have no choice." Itachi knelt down so that Sasuke could climb on his back. Sasuke did so with some aid from Sairin._

_"Um…"_

_"Do you need something?" Itachi inquired, wondering if Sairin was lost._

_"I don't have anywhere to go for awhile. My parents won't be needing me, so I was wondering if maybe I could follow you guys…"_

_"Sure," Itachi stole a quick peek at Sairin's face. _She's a pretty child. Her eyes are such a pure blue; it's as if nothing can taint them. _Then, he looked at his brother. "Sasuke… why are you still smiling like that? You've just twisted your ankle. Are you just pretending to get an easy ride home?"_

_"Of course I'm not!" Sasuke protested. "It's just that I begin ninja academy tomorrow. I can slowly catch up to you now, brother!"_

_"How old are you, Sasuke?" Sairin asked._

_"Five."_

I'm five too… my parents didn't enroll me for the academy_, Sairin thought sadly. Her parents had wanted a son. Perhaps this was punishment for being a daughter._

_Sairin followed the two brothers. To her surprise, they went straight to the Uchiha property. She slowed her pace and let them get ahead. She then raised her head, and saw that they had the Uchiha emblem on their shirts._

_As they entered their personal residence, their father was waiting. "You're late," he looked directly at Itachi, and took no notice of either Sasuke or Sairin. "What were you doing? I have something to tell you." Looking down, he absentmindedly gazed at Sairin. "Princess Sairin. Do your parents know you're here?"_

_"No, Mr. Fugaku, but they don't care either."_

_Sairin tried her best to ignore the stares from Itachi and Sasuke. Fugaku just waved her in anyway, as if it didn't matter whether or not she was present._

_In the Uchiha family room, all four Uchiha knelt down. Fugaku faced the three children. "Itachi… it's been half a year since you've become a chuunin, and you have improved most satisfactorily. You really are my son. For tomorrow's special mission, I've decided to come along to watch you."_

_At those words, Itachi, Sasuke, and Sairin's eyes widened. Sasuke looked down at the tatami mats, while Itachi and Sairin looked at him._

_Fugaku continued, "If this mission goes well, your enlistment into Anbu will be official. Do you understand the importance of this?"_

_Itachi and Sasuke exchanged glances. Itachi said, "Don't worry about me too much, Father. However…"_

_"Um, Dad…For tomorrow's…" Sasuke's voice was frail and uncertain._

_"Our mission tomorrow will be a very important event for our clan," Fugaku declared, not hearing his younger son's barely audible voice._

_Itachi sympathetically gazed at Sasuke, whose eyes returned to the floor. "Well then, I guess I'll drop tomorrow's mission."_

_Both Sasuke and Sairin were surprised._

_"What! You know how crucial tomorrow's mission is. What's wrong with you?"_

_"I'm going to Sasuke's entrance ceremony into the shinobi academy. The entrance ceremony requires that a direct blood relative of the student to attend. You've received the notice as well, Father. Mother cannot go, and you will not, so I shall."_

_Fugaku was silent for a moment. Then, standing up, he said, "Very well. Itachi, you go on your mission and I will go to Sasuke's entrance ceremony."_

_Sairin felt a familiar pain. _My parents don't care about me because I'm a girl. Sasuke's father doesn't care about him because he's not the future of the clan. If Sasuke was born first, then Itachi would be the one getting ignored. It's not fair to be cast away because of what you are. Still, Sasuke has such a dedicated and talented elder brother. Now I remember, Itachi is the prodigy of the Uchiha clan.

_"Sairin," Itachi called from the door. "Do you want to get up, or are you planning to spend the night?"_

_"Oh! I'm getting up!" Sairin rushed outside, having forgotten that everyone else was already gone._

_"Hey, keep that left leg cooled down," Itachi reminded Sasuke._

_Sasuke glanced up with a mixture of pain and happiness. "Yeah…" _It's great that Itachi is such a good brother. I just wish that Father would have come on his own accord.

* * *

_Many times, Sairin watched Sasuke train himself past his limits. Itachi was a wonderful brother – he was good-looking, brilliant, and talented. However, this meant that Sasuke was never noticed. Sasuke had nothing to live for other than to become Itachi's equal. One day, Sairin left the shadows to talk to Sasuke._

_"Sacchan!" she called. She had complained that Sasuke-chan was too long, and so added 'chan' to only the first part of his name._

_Sasuke looked back and scolded himself for not noticing her presence. "Hi Sairin!" he blushed so slightly the color wasn't even noticeable on his fair skin._

_"Sasuke…why do you train like this?" Sairin asked. "This isn't healthy for you."_

_Sasuke looked off to the side. "The kids at school expect me to be awesome."_

_"But that's not the only reason is it?" Sairin pondered out loud as she handed Sasuke a bottle of ice cold Ramune. "It's because of Itachi, isn't it?"_

_"Father is always telling Itachi that he's truly his son. If I become strong like Itachi, then I'll get the same recognition. Itachi only needed one year to graduate from the academy. Of course, he started a year after, at the age of six, but still… Mother says that Itachi was pushed harder during an unstable year, but she also said that Itachi was born special. Why am I not? Why am I weaker than Itachi?"_

_To this, Sairin could say nothing. _It's true, Itachi is stronger.

* * *

_Sasuke handed her his first semester report card. He was first place in the entire academy at everything – taijutsu, ninjutsu, individually, as a group, and at senjutsu._

_"That's great, Sacchan!" Sairin remarked._

_Sasuke only stared off into the distance._

_"What's wrong? Not satisfied with being number one in the academy?"_

_"Father only thinks of Itachi. He doesn't care about me. He only commented that I was on the way to becoming strong like Itachi."_

_Sairin never could say anything to undo painful facts. She decided that it was time to pay Fugaku another visit.

* * *

_

_"Fugaku-san?" Sairin called from the doorway._

_"Yes?" his voice came from far off. "Is that you, Princess Sairin? Come in…"_

_Sairin entered and found Fugaku in the kitchen. He looked up at her, and seeing the concern on her face, asked, "Are my boys causing trouble for you?"_

_"No, no they are not," Sairin reassured him that Itachi and Sasuke were behaving just fine. "However… something concerns me. Sasuke… what do you think of Sasuke?"_

_"Sasuke is my son. He is important to me."_

Of course, _Sairin thought. _Maybe I should rephrase my question. _"How do you feel about Sasuke compared to Itachi?"_

_"Itachi is a strange one…he's always a solitary type of person. Itachi doesn't know how to deal with emotions well. Still, he is a prodigy, and the Uchiha clan will eventually fall into his reliable hands. Sasuke… Sasuke is much weaker. He is talented, but he's nowhere near Itachi's level…" Fugaku stopped to pour a cup of tea. "Sasuke is a good replacement if anything should unexpectedly happen to Itachi."_

_"That's just it," Sairin said softly. "Sasuke isn't interested in power or money. He just wants his parents' approval and his brother's love. Sasuke is willing to go through training that potentially damages his health in an attempt to attain your recognition."_

_Fugaku said nothing just stared into his cup. Sairin knew that she could say no more lest she trespass into family matters. She stood up to leave, and Fugaku let her.

* * *

_

_Despite her constant worries that the main Uchiha family now hated her, Sairin's mother proved her wrong. It was her mother's dreams to have Sairin marry one of the main family's sons since she had been born a girl. She noticed Sairin's friendship with Itachi and Sasuke, and hoped that Fugaku and Mikoto had noticed as well._

_One day, she decided to pay them a visit. Negotiations were long, but Hasuko endured. "Honored Fugaku-san and Mikoto-san, surely you have witnessed yourself how fine my daughter and your sons get along."_

_"Yes."_

_"Oh, of course!" Mikoto said with much vigor. "You have such a darling daughter. Princess Sairin makes me wish I had a daughter as well."_

_Hasuko smiled. "Well, I had an idea. In order to keep the Sharingan blood thick, our family has had their children marry distant relatives. Although my direct family is much weaker than the typical Uchiha, Sairin shows much more power, as if that one child had taken power from each one of my family members and saved them for herself. If Sairin marries one of your boys, the resulting children will surely grow even stronger."_

_Fugaku looked directly into Hasuko's eyes. "I'm well aware of Sairin's abilities. They rival Itachi's when he was her age."_

_Hasuko took this as approval that Sairin was worthy of his boys. "Well now, Fugaku-san, what do you think of my proposal?"_

_"It is workable…" Fugaku looked at the ceiling in deep thought. "I could arrange for Itachi and Sairin to be betrothed. Even though Sasuke is so close in age to Sairin, Sasuke is a warmhearted boy who can probably find someone else. Itachi does not communicate well, but he cares for Sairin, and she for him, so it is a good opportunity."_

_"Itachi is a good child," Hasuko mused. "I accept this agreement."_

_As Fugaku and Mikoto sent Hasuko off, Hasuko bumped into Itachi, Sasuke, and Sairin right at the gate._

_"Mother?" Sairin halted in shock. "What are you doing here?"_

_Hasuko, for the first time in her entire life, smiled at her daughter. "I have just arranged for you to be married to Itachi when you grow older."_

_This opened the already large eyes of the three Uchiha children._

_"Mother, are you serious?" Sairin emblematically said. _Am I truly going to marry Itachi? I thought these things happened only in fairy tales. I must be dreaming!

_Itachi's mind was in a state of disorder. _I… I will be marrying Sairin! This is a dream come true. I love Sairin, but does she feel the same about me? I don't want to force her. If Sairin is against this, I will break this betrothal, even if it crushes my dream. But wait, what about Sasuke? _Itachi gazed down at his distressed younger brother. _I was right. Sasuke loves Sairin too.

Congratulations, _Sasuke wanted to say. He could not. Instead, he just resumed his usual expression and smiled.

* * *

_

_Sairin knelt by the river, picking flowers absentmindedly. _I hope things turn out better for Itachi and Sasuke._ Suddenly, Sairin heard movement, and hid._

_An older boy, almost allowed to be considered a man, appeared. Sairin recognized him as Uchiha Shisui. Following Shisui was none other than Itachi._

"_Itachi…" Shisui said mockingly. "You know why I brought you out here, don't you? Baby Itachi? The treasure of the Uchiha clan?"_

"_What?" Itachi said quietly, as if his mind was in another place._

"_I've always hated you!" Shisui declared. "You are the one that everyone cares about. You are the one that everyone fears. You are the one that everyone worships! That all changes today. Without you, I will be on top!"_

"_Then hurry up and kill me. I want to die." Itachi spoke firmly, but he could not help the tears that formed in his eyes._ "_You are wrong. Everyone will love Sasuke without me. Sasuke will be given opportunities he has only dreamed of in the past. As for me, my life is meaningless. No one sees me as a person. They all look at me and see me as the Uchiha prodigy. They see a tool. Father and Mother say they care, but they see me only as the future leader who needs to be trained. They don't care about giving me a childhood. Sasuke always admired me, but only for my abilities. Sairin… without me, Sasuke and Sairin can be wed. Everything will be better if I die."_

"_Oh no…" Shisui said. "We must fight!"_

He's after Mangekyou Sharingan…_ Sairin thought. If Itachi doesn't defend, Shisui will kill him!_

"_Fight, Itachi," Shisui commanded. The worn and tired Itachi did not refuse, and brandished his sword._

"_How will you explain my death?"_

"_Heh… I may not be worshipped, but I am known be more stable than you are. The people hold me in high respect. All I have to do is say that you lured me here to attain Mangekyou, and they will all believe that I killed a murderer."_

_Shisui's lies did not move Itachi. Itachi held his sword out, but made no further moves. Shisui got tired of Itachi, and decided that he had to make the first move before Itachi would be willing to strike back._

_Shisui leapt and attacked. Sairin was horrified to see that Itachi had no intention of defending. Sairin left her hiding place and went directly to Itachi. Sairin not only defended Itachi, she also counterattacked. Shisui was shocked that Sairin could fight. He never looked into details, and assumed that everyone in Sairin's family were weak._

_Itachi did not move. He wanted to die. Still, the moment before Sairin arrived; Itachi felt a panic in his heart. A little bit of his soul still grasped onto the so-called ideal life Itachi was born with. Itachi felt his mind become clear, as he tracked Sairin's actions. _Where did Sairin come from? A moment ago, she wasn't here. How? Did I… I never could track Sairin's speed before, unless she was tired. Do I have the Mangekyou Sharingan? I didn't kill anyone. Shisui wants these eyes…

_While Itachi's mind was lost, Sairin glared at Shisui with Sharingan eyes. Faster than lightning, Sairin performed drew chakra and targeted Shisui. He put distance between himself and Sairin quickly, but Sairin's technique had already locked onto Shisui. A storm cloud of chakra formed above Shisui's head and a great fire comparable to the fires of hell came out of the cloud and engulfed Shisui. The fire disappeared as quickly as it had come, and now, the cloud was attacking with ice. This process repeated with sand, water, lightning, and nature. Itachi expected a couple more elements, but it seemed that Sairin did not have every single element in her arsenal._

_When the storm cloud left, Shisui was dead. Surprisingly, his body did not look as though it had gone through all of those attacks._

_Itachi turned to Sairin, "Sairin, how did you… what was that?"_

"_Kage no Boufuuu," Sairin answered. "I lock onto my target, and then they cannot escape my cloud. The cloud then attacks once for every element I have even the most basic mastery of."_

"_It wasn't complete, but how did you come to know so many elements?"_

"_I watched the chuunin exams every single time," she said._

"_You do know that you've just killed a man, right?" Itachi asked._

"_Yes."_

"_No…" Itachi put his hands on her shoulders. "Sairin, you're too pure. Under this situation, no one would believe the truth… What can we do?"_

"_It's ok!" Sairin reassured. It pained her to see the twelve year old Itachi feel so empty. "We'll just make it look like he commit suicide and drowned! Really!"_

_That was just what Sairin did. She adorned Shisui with weights and threw him off a cliff so that it appeared that he really did jump. She used her own Sharingan to forge a suicide letter. Unfortunately, all she could come up with as an excuse was a variation of the reason Itachi wanted to give up on life.

* * *

_

_The very next day, Sasuke showed Itachi the report card he'd received a month ago. Sasuke had not known what to say or how to vocalize his feelings. Now, Sasuke was determined to come clear with his brother no matter what._

"_Dad's always talking about you… even though I'm doing my best…"_

"_Am I dislikeable to you?" Itachi said yieldingly. He smiled at his younger brother. "That's okay… Shinobi live in society with a despicable image. People consider us problems."_

"_But this way of thinking…" Sasuke stopped, realizing Itachi's words were accurate. Sasuke always had a high regard for Itachi, but resented the fact that Itachi had all of their father's attention._

"_To become elite, you must become a solitary, arrogant figure. At first, you only chase after your ideals and your dreams." Itachi sighed. "In the end, you lose yourself. We are special. We are the two sons of the representative family of the Uchiha clan. We'll continue to live together to overcome obstacles, even if we have to hate each other. That's what our lives will be."_

_The sound of their gate being forced open broke their serene conversation. "Is Itachi here? Get out here now!"_

_Itachi was surprised, but blankly stood up and left Sasuke. Sasuke of course followed in the shadow. Itachi stepped into the courtyard to find three Uchiha men. He recognized them as Inabi, Tekka, and Yashiro._

"_What is it…?" Itachi asked, unhurriedly._ Don't tell me Sairin is caught! If I play this out well, I can cast suspicion onto myself. Sairin… you're too pure. Most of our clan already hates me, so I might as well assume your burden. If they have me executed, then at least you and Sasuke can be happy together.

_Inabi was not one to mince words. "You were one of two Uchiha missing from the clan meeting yesterday night. Why were you absent?"_

_Itachi said nothing, knowing it would invoke more distrust. Sasuke's eyes widened, _He really didn't go to last night's meeting…

"_It's understandable that you've been occupied with various missions since your acceptance into Anbu," Inabi continued, "Your father also told us he would be watching over you. However…"_

"_We have no intention of giving you special treatment," Yashiro finished._

So it wasn't about Sairin. Thank God. _"I understand. I will be more attentive to organizing my time from now on. Please leave."_

"_Yes…but before we leave, you must answer one more thing."_

I thought it was too convenient.

"_It concerns to the suicide drowning in Nakano River last night of Uchiha Shisui," Yashiro said, taking his time to let it sink in._

_Inabi explained, "The other man who did not attend the meeting last night was Uchiha Shisui. Didn't you consider Shisui a brother to you?"_

_Itachi didn't need to feign sadness._ I did, until he betrayed me. "_I haven't met with you recently. It's sad to hear that I couldn't have seen him one last time."_

"_That's right…" Inabi said. "We, the Konoha Police, have decided to investigate this death thoroughly. Yashiro…"_

"_An investigation?" Itachi repeated. _Sairin…

_Yashiro handed Itachi a piece of paper. "This is Uchiha Shisui's suicide note. We completed his handwriting analysis. It is his handwriting."_

"_If it's suicide, what is there to investigate?" Itachi asked. _If they know its suicide they must really look down on me to still confront me.

"_For those with Sharingan, it's next to nothing to forge handwriting."_

"_It's written on that slip of paper there," Yashiro urged him to read._

_Itachi scanned Sairin's work, _'I am tired of the duties… there is no future for Uchiha… and for me… I cannot walk down this path any further…' Was she writing a suicide note for Shisui or for me! Shisui did not suffer at all from anything besides jealousy. She should have written 'I cannot stand losing to that Itachi brat all the time' and that would have been more believable.

_Yashiro took Itachi's silence as his turn to speak. "He was known as Shisui of the Mirage, one of the most gifted Uchiha. He would do any mission for the clan…"_

Yes, he would, in order to look respectable next to me.

_Inabi's voice grew colder. "I doubt a man of such position would just leave."_

_Itachi took this chance to turn all suspicion of Sairin onto himself. "It's not wise to judge others by your preconceptions and their appearances."_

_Inabi said nothing to that. He just made to leave, saying, "I'm leaving that letter with you. Take that to Anbu and request that they investigate well."_

"_Understood."_

_Yashiro added, "I hope other evidence turns up."_

_Tekka, who had said nothing up until this point, made clear his dislike for Itachi. "The police force has connections to Anbu as well. If you try to hide anything, the police force can find out right away."_

_This was more than enough to send even the innocent Itachi over the edge. "Why don't you be just a little more direct?"_

_All three men halted, and slowly turned around, revealing three sets of Sharingan._

"_If you are suspicious of me, then just say so." Itachi glared back at them with his own Sharingan. The effect was much greater, as his eyes were larger._

_Sasuke watched on from behind the wall, frightened._

_Inabi was certainly one who enjoyed picking fights. "Yes, brat."_

_The more sensible Yashiro said, "Listen Itachi! If you betray the clan, you won't go unpunished!"_

_In a motion faster than Sasuke could track, Itachi and the three men were outside the representative family's property. All three police force Uchiha were down on the ground. Itachi did his best to lower his voice, "As I said earlier, don't judge others by your preconceptions and their appearances. You assumed that I was a mere child and that I had patience…" _I'm not a child. I never was. _"The clan…the clan…Is that all you talk about? Each of you judged the limit of our clan, and fails to measure your own limit. You certainly failed to see mine, and thus, you lie beaten."_

_Getting up, Yashiro gravely said, "Shisui was assigned to keep an eye on me. Within half a year of your entrance into Anbu, your actions and speech were become stranger than ever. What are you thinking!"_

Shisui was assigned to watch me because you all hated me. Nothing about me changed. I was always alone. Shisui… all this time you were lying to me… All this time, you were only looking out for your own gain… _"You hold onto the organization, your clan, your name…These things put a lower limit on our capacities. These things deserve to be shunned. It is foolish to fear what we have yet to see and understand!"_

"_Stop! Itachi!" Fugaku commanded._

_Itachi only glared at him. Fugaku continued, "Stop it, already! What in all seven hells is wrong? Itachi, you've been acting strange lately."_

"_Nothing's strange," Itachi slurred. _If this doesn't clear Sairin's name, then nothing will. _"I'm just carrying out my duty."_

"_Then why did you not come last night?" Fugaku inquired._

"_In order to reach the height…" _What exactly did Shisui say again?

"_The what?" Fugaku wondered._

_Itachi suddenly knew what to do. _I must use symbolism. I need to do something so that no one will trust me. _Itachi grabbed a kunai and awkwardly threw it into the heart of the Uchiha emblem on the wall. By awkwardly, it meant an awkward position. Itachi's form was perfect and flowing._

"…_of my capacity. I've lost hope for this pathetic clan."_

_From the safety of his house, Sasuke thought back on Itachi. _'Our clan protected the order of Konoha since the very beginning. Our clan emblem is a symbol of the honor of the Uchiha.' _Then, Sasuke remembered the night Itachi was accepted into Anbu. _'That's my son, I'm proud of your acceptance into Anbu.'

_Itachi resumed. _I can't stop now. I must protect Sairin. _"You forget what is truly important because you cling to something as insignificant as your clan. Is it being born to the Uchiha clan what makes one strong? Or is it hard work and determination that makes one strong? True change cannot be made if it is bound by laws, limitations, predictions, and imaginations…You think that bearing the name 'Uchiha' automatically makes you so elite? You haven't struggled at all to reach your full capacity."_

"_What arrogance!" Inabi growled._

_Sasuke remembered the recent conversation. '_At first, you only chase after your ideals and your dreams. In the end, you lose yourself. We'll continue to live… even if we have to hate each other.' Why? Why does it have to be this way, Brother?

"Enough already!" Fugaku commanded as he helped the three police officers to their feet. "If you continue this nonsense, we will have to take you to jail."

_As Sairin walked towards the Uchiha household, she heard a skirmish. She quickened her pace just in time to catch those last words. "Wait! What's going on!" Sairin looked from Itachi to Fugaku to the three police officers to Sasuke and back to Itachi. "Why are you confronting Itachi?"_

_Tekka looked at Sairin with disinterest. "He was absent from a clan meeting yesterday night."_

"_That's not a crime," Sairin stated. "It is irresponsible, but not illicit. You have no right to be holding up my fiancé for such a trivial matter."_

_The fiery Inabi glared at her. "It's not just that he was careless. There's also the possibility that he took the opportunity to murder Uchiha Shisui."_

"_Murder?" Sairin scornfully repeated. "That is not something Itachi would resort to, even for a bastard like Uchiha Shisui. I will become the ultimate Kage of the entire continent before Itachi commits murder."_

Stop, Sairin! _Itachi looked at Sairin with gentleness but also a sense of urgency. _If you continue, you will erase everything I've done in the past half an hour.

"_We can't put up with these brats anymore!" Inabi yelled. "Captain, please order an arrest! It's humiliating to be held off by a mere brat and his infantile lover. I request that you have Itachi, Princess Sairin, and Sasuke all arrested!"_

_Itachi then calculated the position of each person's vision, and made to attack from an angle only Sasuke could see. "Stop, brother!"_

_An obvious signal such as that required an obvious action. Itachi dropped to the ground and lowered his head. "It is not I who killed Shisui, but for the words I have spoken, I take them back." The regret was as true as Itachi's words. Itachi knew the truth about both the life of a shinobi and what happened with Shisui, and disliked it. Every moment of pain ran into his eyes and stayed there._

_Fugaku couldn't help but notice that hurting. "Inabi, I see no reason to have these children arrested. Lately, Itachi has been fatigued with missions from the Anbu."_

"_Captain!" Inabi whined to the best of a twenty five year old man's ability._

"_The Anbu is a battalion under the Hokage's direct authority. Even the police forces cannot arrest them without an official order," Fugaku reviewed the law. "Besides, I will look over my son with full responsibility. Please leave."_

_Inabi looked reluctant to let Sairin and Sasuke off as well, but Tekka and Yashiro led him off, saying, "There is even less reason to arrest them."_

_Though Inabi complained of Itachi's "arrogance", he was just as arrogant in uttering a final, "Understood, Captain," as if he were the leader of the trio._

_Fugaku sighed even though he was less exhausted than Itachi was. He gestured to their house, and in a barely audible voice, said, "Itachi, let's go inside. Sairin, you too."_

_Itachi didn't know whether or not to trust Sasuke. In the end, he decided that Sasuke was too pure to be exposed to the truth as well. Itachi glowered at Sasuke, allowing him to take in his Mangekyou Sharingan.

* * *

_

Sairin felt the sleep begin to leave her, but she clung onto it tightly. Her efforts were rewarded with a thorough view of the depth of Sasuke's perception.

* * *

_Sasuke stared blankly up at the rich ceiling sprawled out on his crane-feather mattress and silk sheets. _What was that in my brother's eyes? His Sharingan looks so different from before. And why does Sairin have three tomoe in hers? I never looked directly into her eyes before, but I'm almost sure that she only had two before.

* * *

"_Princess Sairin!" Sasuke called. Sairin looked up from her practice with manipulating grass. "You can do Goukakyuu no Jutsu right?"_

_Sairin thought for a moment. "That's the one where you use fire and blow it out in the shape of a giant flaming sphere, isn't it?"_

_Sasuke nodded. "Can you help me with it?"_

_Sairin was genuinely surprised that Sasuke would need her help. "Of course I will help. That's what friends are for. Still, this is a bit sudden. Why the sudden need for it?"_

"_Father just showed it to me, and I couldn't do it," Sasuke said quietly. "Itachi could do it, but I can't, so I need to learn, even if it takes all night!"

* * *

_

_Sairin gave whatever aid she could, keeping a tight watch on the way Sasuke's chakra flowed using her Sharingan. _I can't believe he's that driven to be the same as Itachi-sama. Why can't Sasuke accept that even if he isn't as stronger as Itachi-sama, he's not in any way inferior to his brother?

_Sasuke was dead beat but wasn't giving up. _An Uchiha family member isn't seen as an adult until he or she can use the Katon jutsu. The Uchiha trait is the manipulation of fire. I need the mind of an Uchiha in order to succeed. Sairin told me that I wasn't drawing my chakra up right. If I draw like this, it should work. Damn it! Sairin is younger than I am, and she can make a fire ball even larger than Father's! Not to mention, Sairin even says that Fire is one of her worst elements.

* * *

_A worn-out and bandaged Sasuke ran up to Fugaku before daybreak. "Father! Please follow me."_

_Fugaku simply said, "It is too early for you. Even if I taught you in a week, the result would be no different."_

"_No…Let me show you. I have worked out Katon."_

_And so with that, Sasuke led Fugaku down to Nakano River at dawn. Sasuke performed the hand seals even more assuredly than before, and used some of the little remaining chakra to generate a vast ball of flame equal to his father's, if not Sairin's._

_Fugaku was a little surprised, but by the time Sasuke turned around to accept any comment, Fugaku already had his back to him. Sasuke looked down, knowing that he was only considered acceptable._

_Then, out of the blue, Fugaku said with a slightest hint of pride, "As I expected, you are my child. You did well. From now on, you may shamelessly wear the family crest on your back. You must now improve, and then you can soar to great heights."_

_For the first time, Sasuke smiled out of genuine happiness because of his father. Before, the only smile Sasuke wore for his family outside Itachi and Sairin was a forced one, to show that at least he wasn't upset. This time, things were different. "Ok!"_

_Right after, Fugaku added something that would take away the smile. "Also, I will say one thing. Do not follow after your brother."

* * *

_

That's right… Itachi is a little bit different now. He still takes care of me, and I know that his love for Sairin is unchanged. What I need right now is a reassurance that Itachi is still my brother. _At that, the brilliant Uchiha mind began to think._

"_Aniki… Can we train with shuriken today?" Sasuke asked innocently._

"_I'm busy. It'd be better if you asked Father," Itachi automatically spouted his usual excuse as of most recent. _Actually, before I really was busy. Now, being with Sasuke would ease my mind immensely. I can't become the perfect big brother for a long time though. I have to make sure Sairin's slate is spotless.

_Sasuke persisted. "But you're the best at shuriken. Even a child like me can see that. You're always treating me as if I were a burden," Sasuke looked at him mournfully._

_Itachi waved Sasuke over. Sasuke rushed over only to have Itachi's fingers poke into his forehead dead-center. Itachi smiled and said, "Forgive me, Sasuke. Another time. I don't have time to look after you today."_

_Sasuke pouted, but then seeing the sadness in Itachi's eyes, changed his strategy. "You're always saying 'Forgive me, Sasuke' and then poking me. And then you give me some excuse for why it cannot be today… I never see it…"_

_Itachi didn't answer, just smiled, and went on his way._

_Sasuke looked warmly after his brother. _That was perfect. He still is Itachi. _Then, as Itachi's figure moved off to the side, Sasuke caught sight of the damaged wall and lost the rare smile. _Brother… you seem so unpredictable…

* * *

_Itachi saw his betrothed attempt to levitate rocks. "Adding more weapons to your deadly Kage no Boufuuu? If you wanted to escape our marriage, you could just say so, you know," he teased. Then, in a more serious tone, "Honestly, I don't want to be on the receiving end of your anger."_

_Sairin only smiled at the boy she loved. _Itachi doesn't sound like he cares whether we are engaged or not. I only want to marry him if he wants to marry me. _"Kage no Boufuuu is my original technique, so I want it to be flawless."_

"_Sairin…I don't know how I'll be able to go on."_

"_Itachi-sama… what are you saying? You are fine. I am fine. What more do you need?" Seeing the despair in his eyes, Sairin grew uneasy. "Itachi-sama… Shisui betrayed your trust. You had no one who ever showed you tenderness. You believed Shisui could be the one who would look after you like a real parent. Shisui was only using you to attain Mangekyou. Besides, you weren't the one who killed him."_

"_Sairin… People trust you. No one cares about me. I'm just a mentally unstable kid with too much talent in their eyes. Even though I'm innocent, my slate is completely black. Yours is almost pure. I would taint my slate even more in order to entirely cleanse yours," Itachi said, not really to anyone in particular._

"_Itachi-sama, please don't look down on yourself so," Sairin urged. "Even if they think of you so, you are precious to me."_

"_Thank you for your concern. My life has become much more blissful after I met you. I think you treat as if I were a person more than Sasuke ever did."

* * *

_

"_Sairin?" Sasuke asked. "Why is your Goukakyuu so enormous?"_

"_Oh! Good morning, Sasuke-chan," Sairin grew to accept the longer form of endearment. "Why do you ask? Yours is plenty large enough."_

"_I just wanted to know."_

"_Well, I think it's because I sing," Sairin reflected. "I'm trained to be able to breath right, so I can let out more chakra."_

"_Okay, then, teach me how to sing!"_

"_Sasuke-chan, the world doesn't revolve around being the best at everything!" Sairin reprimanded her friend. "When will you understand that there's more to life?"_

_Sasuke chose to ignore those last words. Instead he changed the subject, "Say, Sairin, do you ever get older?"_

"_Of course I do. Everyone does."_

"_But you don't seem to have a birthday."_

"_Everyone has a birthday."_

"_Whenever Itachi or I have a birthday, Mother and Father hold a celebration."_

"_My parents don't care about me, so I've never had a birthday party," Sairin told him with no trace of sadness. "I'm used to it. It doesn't mean I don't grow, though."_

"_When's your birthday?"_

_Sairin calculated the weeks since the last festival. "My eighth birthday is next week, on the first of December." _I was born when the first snow had fallen.

"_Mother, I have a request to make of you," Sasuke said, attempting formality._

"_Anything, Sasuke," Mikoto answered._

"_Could we have a birthday party for Sairin next week?"_

"_Princess Sairin," Mikoto corrected, "Will her parents not be celebrating?"_

_Sasuke repeated what Sairin told him, "Her parents don't care about her."_

_Mikoto was truly astounded. "Hasuko-san doesn't care for Princess Sairin? She's such a lovely child. Well, if they don't celebrate, there's no reason why we shouldn't."

* * *

_

_The eight year old Sasuke had planned everything. He had even swallowed his fears and taken the initiative to invite her over. Sasuke had promised Sairin a simple day spent with her two best friends._

_What Sasuke provided for her was, instead, an exceptional party celebrating her life by her two best friends and her only true family. Sasuke had reviewed all of Sairin's favorite things. He designed a "banquet" of unagi and various onigiri.

* * *

_

To even the Sairin before her memory loss, that day was a faint dream. For the first time, Sairin's life was honored, and she was acknowledged as an Uchiha. However, the one gift that Sairin held by her side after her memory loss was yet to be seen.

* * *

"_Um… Princess Sairin…" Sasuke's fair face was colored near crimson as he stepped up to Sairin holding a small box. "This is something from me and Aniki."_

_The young Sairin opened the box to find a dazzling pendant. She stroked the cool surface and confirmed it was made of authentic gold. Inscribed in the metal were the words, 'To our dearest friend, Sairin'. Sairin was startled by the present. "How could you two spend so much for someone like me!"_

"_We could only spend so much for someone like you," Itachi said lightly._

"_Yeah, you're our best friend, right?" Sasuke added._

"_Yes… we're best friends, now and for eternity…"

* * *

_

_Itachi stood alone in a clearing. He turned Sharingan on and off. Then, he turned Mangekyou Sharingan on and off. No matter what color and pattern he made his eyes take on, they could not hide his tears. "I can't go on… I'll have to do it."

* * *

_

_It was near midday. Sairin was debating what to have for lunch when the answer appeared before her. "Itachi!"_

_Itachi smiled, his fiancée diminishing any feeling of pain temporarily. "Sairin! It's good to see you. Would you like some lunch?" He offered her a black bento box._

"_Really?" Sairin asked. It seemed he noticed how much she enjoyed his cooking._

"_Why don't you go down to the river, and I'll catch up to you later?"_

_Sairin agreed. She walked to the calm river, which despite its splendor, was a heavy weight upon Itachi's heart. It wasn't a joyous place for Sairin either, but she had not lived as a hated person even before the incident._

_Meanwhile, Itachi had stolen into Sairin's home. _I want to protect this… _He scooped up an adorned lavender book which was obviously a diary. _Everything else seems pretty material. It can be lost.

* * *

_Itachi strolled over to Sairin and sat down beside her. Sairin smiled at him and opened the lunchbox. "You're such a remarkable cook, Itachi. What will I do when we are married?"_

_Sairin ate in silence, enjoying this brief moment with her beloved. "You gave me dango as well? This is your favorite!"_

"_Yes, but I can taste my own cooking anytime." Itachi felt uneasiness linger around his heart. _Sairin must not get involved. This is my sacrifice. It is my choice to make this sacrifice.

_Itachi set his left arm around Sairin and pulled her close._

"_Itachi?" Sairin wondered._

"_Don't mind me," Itachi murmured. "Can we just stay like this, just a little bit?"_

_Sairin bit her tongue to see if she was dreaming. _I'm not dreaming! Itachi does care about me! _Serene pleasure sparkled in her eyes. Sairin wanted to quietly sit there for eternity. She even ate slowly, as if eating any faster would disrupt the tranquility._

_Then, very suddenly, Itachi's eyes were filled with a terrible longing, and he brought his left hand back. In a split second, Itachi hit her in the back of the head, and she passed out. Itachi held her so she did not fall. Itachi gently laid her on the ground. He reached into his clothes and pulled out a package of food and medication, and hid them within her clothes. Itachi left Sairin there for the time being.

* * *

_

Sairin watched as Itachi's pain enveloped him to the point that he could not contain it any longer.

* * *

_Itachi began his purges. _Sairin might be seen as innocent among the Uchiha, but I have to make sure the rest of Konoha hates me enough to ignore her. _The first step to this was a bloodbath on the Uchiha property._

_Itachi was a sensation to watch. Every stroke from his sword slashed cleanly into the target. Each shuriken he threw with perfect form. The only way true pain could be repaid was with the beauty Itachi possessed._

_He saved his parents for last. He entered his home with weapons drawn. Mikoto and Fugaku were surprised, but they were trained jounin. They drew their own weapons, but they were no match for the phenomenon they had raised. As they lay dying, Itachi knew he had to seal his fate entirely. "This is for taking away my childhood. This is for always seeing me as an entity, and not as a person."_

_Just then, Sasuke came home. Itachi had forgotten his adored little brother, and did not know what to do. _I did a flawless job keeping Sairin out of this mess, but I totally forgot to keep Sasuke away as well. What now? _Itachi didn't need anyone to answer. He already knew. He had to make Sasuke the avenger. It upset him deeply to see that he had to hurt his little brother in order to make Sasuke hate him. _This is all wrong. I love Sasuke, but for my love, I will destroy this love.

_Itachi struggled with his tears as he threw Sasuke to the door. He used Tsukuyomi as a diversion so that he could dry his eyes. Thankfully, the Mangekyou Sharingan hid any traces of the redness his eyes would normally be sporting._

_Outside, Itachi lectured Sasuke. He had told all sorts of lies about how he cared about his capacity. Each word he said about the concept was true, but each word he said about seeking it was a falsehood. Itachi even declared himself Shisui's true killer._

_His final words were to beg Sasuke to become the avenger. "It would be worthless to kill someone like you. My foolish brother, if you want to kill me, curse me! Hate me! Live a long and unsightly life. Run away. Run away and cling to your pathetic life. Someday, when you have the same 'eyes' as I do, come before me."

* * *

_

Sairin woke up with the cold realization; _I caused Uchiha Itachi to lose all sense of himself! I caused Itachi to lose his common sense and make a rash decision!

* * *

_

Please review? Was it terrible? Was it so logically glitched that I should have just thrown it out?

It's the first story I've bothered to go to 28 pages on Word with. Also, it's the first story I've ever submitted, and only because _someone_ had to read one of my works. Anyway, I'm looking for constructive criticism. Even if you felt everything was out of place, please don't flame.

Yes, I do have a second chapter planned, but this is really just for Arbitrary to sample. If anyone else feels it has potential, I will continue.


	2. 2 Broken Angel

**Warning:** I am not a straight A plus valedictorian in English, and therefore, don't expect me to write inspirationally. The way I view the Uchiha boys may make them feel OOC to you. I expect that. Sairin will sound older than she is, although many of the characters in the original story already do that. This chapter still contains spoilers.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I don't even own my OC because she is an Uchiha.

**Pairings:** Itachi/Sairin, one-sided Sasuke/Sairin, brief one-sided Haku/Sairin

Redcloudangel you're my first reviewer! Anyway, I was worried about length, too. I wondered if making it too long would make it feel long and dull, and that if I made it short it would seem pointless.

Well, since someone seems interested, I'll continue this story... This will be atwo chapter update, to separate the scenes and ideas, but not the length. Author's notes on the bottom.

* * *

Sairin woke up with the cold realization; _I caused Uchiha Itachi to lose all sense of himself! I caused Itachi to lose his common sense and make a rash decision!_

It was mid-afternoon by the time Sairin awoke. But she wasn't able to do anything aside from stare into space until Hyuuga Neji punched her in the arm. "Hurry up, kid. The second exam is over. The Hokage has an announcement to make."

He left her with a mild stinging. _He's strong…I'm not surprised. Neji-kun might become the most powerful Hyuuga ever to live. Wait, did he say the second task was over? What happened to Sasuke? Did… the seal kill him?_

"Neji-kun!" Sairin called. "Please wait."

Neji didn't answer, but he paused to show that he was listening.

"Is Sasuke..?" Sairin couldn't find words. _We've only just reunited. Please don't let Sasuke have died. I need to apologize and tell him the truth._

"His squad barely made the time limit." Neji made sure she knew that his squad completed the task in much better time. He then walked away without another word.

_Thank you, Neji-kun. _Sairin smiled in spite of herself. Then, she remembered what Neji had told her only moments before. "I need to get to…I need to follow Neji-kun!" she was unprepared for Neji immediately leaving her behind with no idea where to go.

* * *

"First, congratulations on passing the second exam," the Hokage's tranquil but firm voice addressed the genin. Seven teams out of twenty-seven had passed the second exam, and all twenty-one genin were gathered in one large building. The genin all stood on level floor, while their jounin sensei and the Hokage stood on an elevated platform. Sairin looked down from an upper level.

Sairin took a moment to observe each of them. _Yes, Sasuke lives. His teammates look tired, but fine. I wonder what took them so long. Orochimaru attacked them on the second day. I suppose that seal must have taken its toll on Sasuke. The other rookie teams are here as well. That's definitely impressive. From the chuunin exams I saw in that memory, rookie teams only made it occasionally, certainly not more than one squad per exam. I already knew that Neji made it. There's the Oto squad. They look in reasonable shape, though they probably had a rough time getting their scroll. One of them can't even use his arms. And there's that jounin Yakushi Kabuto along with his squad. No surprise there, he's a jounin competing with genin._

_I only slept this morning. Surely not all of them arrived while I was asleep. I must be extremely distracted, since I only remember Gaara and his siblings._

Sairin heard Mitarashi Anko's sharp voice shout, "Hokage-sama will now explain the third examination. Listen carefully." Even though Mitarashi Anko was a strong woman, Sairin could hear a slight difference in her speech. _She seems to be making labored breaths. They're not incredibly labored, but somewhat more difficult than usual. At least she seems to have survived Orochimaru. Still, at her level, she couldn't possibly have defeated him. Orochimaru is a legendary criminal. She is merely a special jounin. Wait, could she possibly have a seal? Was Mitarashi-san once a subordinate of his? She seemed to really hate him greatly, and be driven to kill him._

The Sandaime Hokage took a deep breath before saying, "Before I explain the third test, I want all of you to know something. I want you all to understand the true reason for the chuunin exam." No one spoke, but everyone's minds raced. "Why do you think all of the allied countries are taking the exam together? We say, 'To promote the friendship between countries and to raise the level of the shinobi.' I don't want any of you to be confusing this with the true meaning. The exam is a replacement for war among the allied countries."

_It's a replacement for war? _Sairin wondered. _It makes sense. Mitarashi-san didn't mention this earlier when she said it was also a show of strength. _Sairin shook her head feeling a little bit depressed that Mitarashi hadn't been completely honest with her.

"If you go back in time, the allied countries were once enemies who fought each other over dominance. In order to prevent unnecessary bloodshed, the countries picked a certain stage in which they could battle. That is the origin of the chuunin exam." Many genin were uncomfortable with this information, but most held it inside. "It is a fact that this exam decides which shinobi have what it takes to be called a chuunin. But it is also fact that the exam is where each country's representatives risk their own lives to protect that country's prestige."

"Watching this upcoming exam will be great leaders and individuals of influence from countries who are the clients for shinobi. These leaders will watch your battles to decide which countries are strong. If the strength of a country is defined, that country will receive increased numbers of clients. Otherwise, they lose clients."

_Shinobi are mere tools_, Sairin thought almost dejectedly. _Zabuza-san always told me that in the several times I was in Water Country. I should go for another visit soon. I miss Haku. Itachi said the same thing to Sasuke in that memory. I guess it's true. I just don't want to think of people as tools. That's what drove Itachi to lose control._

"This will signal to potential enemy countries that this village has power. It sends a political message to foreigners," the Hokage explained, appearing somewhat tired.

The Inuzuka boy couldn't hold it back any longer. "Why? Why do we have to risk our lives in battle!"

"The strength of the country is in the strength of the village. The strength of the village is in the strength of the shinobi. A shinobi's true strength is born only through life risking battle," the Hokage stated. It didn't look as though he wanted it to be true either. "This exam is a place to see each country's strength and to show off your own."

_I guess it all ties back into what Mitarashi-san said earlier. She probably gave me only the conclusion and not the logic behind it. _Sairin let go of any resentment she felt towards the special jounin.

"It only has meaning because lives are at risk. That's why those who have come before you have fought in a chuunin exam for a meaningful dream."

Neji's squad mate, Tenten, was one confused thirteen year old girl. "But why did you say all that stuff about friendship earlier if that was only a front?"

The Hokage sighed. "I already said I didn't want you to confuse this. In the world of shinobi, friendship is shaped by losing lives and establishing balance. One more thing." The old shinobi looked sternly at each competitor. "This isn't just an exam. This is a life risking battle with your dreams and your country's prestige on the line."

Gaara irritably gave the Hokage a piece of his mind. "I don't give a damn what this is. Tell us what life risking tasks are expected of us."

"Yes, I'd like to explain the remaining task, but…"

A man appeared before the Hokage. "I apologize, Hokage-sama. However, I am the referee. Please allow me… um…"

The Hokage nodded. "By all means."

The man addressed the impatient genin. "Hello… I am Gekkou Hayate. Before the third test, I will need you to do something."

Sairin knew for sure she would not be erroneous if she said the man should have been lying on his deathbed. _He seems capable, but he looks deathly ill._

"Um… It's a preliminary round for the third test to decide who may participate in the main event."

"Preliminary!" Shikamaru yelled. "What do you mean, 'preliminary'?"

Sakura voiced her concerns, "Sir, I don't understand. Why isn't everyone here allowed to participate in the next test?"

"Um… The first and second tests may have been too easy this year… we have too many people remaining… According to chuunin exam rules, we must reduce the number of participants in the final test," Gekkou took a moment to steady his breath. "As the Hokage-sama said earlier, there will be many spectators. The fights may take a long time, and time is something we are short on. Um… so anyway… those who are not feeling well and would like to quit may come forward now since we will be starting the preliminary round immediately…"

"What!" the Inuzuka exploded again. "Now!"

The loud whispers of "Kiba, be quiet!" taught Sairin that boy's name.

Then, out of the blue, Yakushi Kabuto raised his hand, smiling, "Um, I'm going to quit." His actions surprised those around him, even those who did not know him.

_What in all seven hells is he doing?_ Sairin pondered. _This scheme is dangerous. I'm going to keep a closer watch on him. A few suspicious actions followed by purposely failing another chuunin exam do not incline me to let my guard down._

While Gekkou Hayate removed him from the list, Sairin heard the Konoha jounin converse among themselves.

"I've seen him before," the Hokage said to Anko. "Didn't he quit during the final test last year? What's he thinking?"

Mitarashi checked the records. "Here is the data on Yakushi Kabuto. He failed the chuunin exam six times straight."

The Hokage looked at Mitarashi as if he thought she was joking. "You can't be serious. Let me see that… what kind of record is this!"

_It's the record of a traitor scheming with legendary criminals to abduct young ninja to serve as a demon's next body_, Sairin thought dryly.

Anko went on, "He never stood out as a student in the academy. His grades were average, and didn't graduate until his third try. He completed fourteen D-ranked missions and one C-ranked mission. However…" she trailed off.

Mitarashi waited a moment for the Hokage's full attention, "It's about before he entered the academy. Do you remember the child brought back from Bellflower Pass?"

"I do," the Sarutobi said, "If I remember correctly, a jounin of the medical team retrieved a child of the enemy who had survived the battle. This is the child then."

Sairin found Kabuto's history interesting. _Yakushi wasn't even a child of the Konoha. It's no wonder he has absolutely no loyalty to Konoha._ She allowed her deep blue eyes rest on the said survivor. Sairin watched him as he made direct eye contact with the Sound squad's jounin leader after eyeing Sasuke. _Since Orochimaru is the founder of Otogakure, it seems that the jounin and the squad are all devoted to him. I doubt he would tell them his true intentions though, and that they actually mean anything to him._ Then she watched Kabuto exchange some words with the men in his squad. Alas, Sairin had not activated her Sharingan, and could not catch the subdued dialogue.

Sairin knew her Sharingan could not be maintained. It would certainly give away the fact that she was an Uchiha. She could use it to copy the moves of foes she would soon kill, but other than that, she could only activate it from hiding or in front of trusted friends. So far, Sairin activated Sharingan in front of only three people who lived – Haku, Zabuza, and her Sunagakure mentor Chiyo.

_I can't even utilize my Sharingan for such a useful purpose_, Sairin scolded herself. _I don't even remember the family that gave me this Sharingan. I only have a few scattered memories of Sasuke and his brother Itachi. They…they suffered a lot more than I did. All three of us had parents who would only look at us as tools. However, Sasuke was always overshadowed by Itachi and neglected by his parents. At least Itachi received a lot of training from his father. Itachi didn't fare any better overall. Itachi was hated by everyone. He was distrusted as the prodigious brat of the Uchiha. Itachi sacrificed everything because of what I did. On the surface, I suppose he is the one that murdered an entire clan. But I can't help but see Itachi surrounded by hurt now._

Sairin slowly brought her eyes on to Sasuke, and was surprised when he suddenly clutched his shoulder and made a restrained expression of agony. Sairin watched Sakura shout something at him. _No doubt Sakura is telling him to withdraw._ Sairin felt downcast upon seeing Sakura's actions. _Even though she's always doing silly things to get Sasuke's attention, and thinks of little besides a potential relationship with him, at least Sakura hasn't done anything to hurt him. I hurt Sasuke. If I didn't kill Shisui, then Itachi wouldn't have become so driven to protect my image. But then, wouldn't Itachi have died? Or perhaps I would have died in place of either. Then, Shisui would be taken as a criminal, and Itachi would be free to find a beautiful and worthy girl to marry._

She couldn't help herself as she let waves of desolation wash over her. _I can't change the past no matter how much better things would be. So now, I must do everything to help Sasuke, and Itachi when I meet him again._ The water in her eyes cleared up, and Sairin looked at Sakura more closely. _She's not really the type I had envisioned, and I know Sasuke probably will never care about her as more than a friend, but she's crying for him in front of all the other genin squads and the jounin sensei. Sakura really cares about Sasuke, even if she shows her love poorly. Before the slaughter, Sasuke was my best friend. I definitely cared about him. But everything I've done has only caused him more anguish._

Sairin noticed the jounin and the Hokage conversing again. They seemed in deep thought. Since Mitarashi Anko was among those discussing, Sairin came to the accurate conclusion that they were talking about Sasuke. She stared blankly into space for a moment, barely paying attention when Gekkou Hayate started speaking again.

All of a sudden, an electronic screen was revealed. Sairin snapped to attention once more as it was turned on. _Is this the computer that will determine the matches?_ Sairin barely restricted herself from destroying the entire building when she saw that Sasuke was the going to compete in the first round of the preliminaries against Akado Yoroi, a man from Yakushi's squad.

_Aaaaaargh… _Sairin screamed in her head. _Why does Sasuke-kun have to be first? He's all beaten up, and he's just received a forbidden seal from an S-ranked criminal, for God's sake! And even though that man feels genin enough, I doubt Orochimaru would send in an ordinary genin. He's nowhere near Yakushi's level, but he probably has a special bloodline ability that gives him an advantage._

"Will everyone besides the participants move to the upper level?" Hayate asked, in a stronger voice than he had used all day. Sairin realized this meant company. She automatically moved herself to the spot nearest Sasuke as the other genin climbed the stairs.

She heard Kakashi undertone, "Don't use Sharingan."

Sasuke gave a feeble laugh, "So you know everything, too."

As they passed each other, Kakashi added, "If the seal on your neck becomes active, you will lose your life. If that happens, I _will_ stop the match, whether you like it or not." Kakashi threw in the last bit, knowing it would drive Sasuke to suppress the seal.

Feeling that Sasuke might hope for some slightly more sanguine words, Sairin tried to smile for her childhood friend, "You can do anything, Sasuke. It doesn't take a fancy jutsu to surpass Itachi."

If Sairin's last words shook Sasuke at all, he didn't show it. He just nodded and continued to face to Akado. That was when Sairin realized the genius in her words. _Seals like that are activated when chakra is dipped into. As soon as they are set off, they draw out excessive chakra and turn the user into a mindless killing machine. Sharingan can't be used, but Sasuke doesn't need Sharingan to track a genin with only special bloodline abilities and a lack of other power. There is one alternative, but it won't help him if he doesn't realize it._

Sairin then faded back into a memory of her own, after she woke up wounded by the Nakano River.

* * *

This fic centers around a female survivor of the Uchiha tragedy. I intended to show people how a girl would react to... life. Sairin is almost like Itachi and Sasuke. She seems to have everything besides her parents' love. Despite that, Sairin still has self-image issues and has a problem seeing herself as everyone else's equal. I wanted to portray how a girl would realistically react to things depending on how she was raised.

I hope I haven't written Sairin as too much of a Mary Sue, and I hope I don't in the future.


	3. 3 Inmost Calm

**Warning:** I started this chapter not knowing how short I should have made the last chapter. I went back to read chapter one and realized that I _could_ have cut it off in several places. It's a miracle I did it when I did. Anyway, now, I'm not sure if chapter 2 is too short. However, since I finished it rather quickly, I'm on to chapter 3 faster. I still should be doing homework and studying, but instead I'm doing this. Don't mind me if I sound a little mathematical at times.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**Pairings:** As usual, Itachi/Sairin, one-sided Sasuke/Sairin, & Kimimaro/Sairin friendship.

* * *

"You can do anything, Sasuke. It doesn't take a fancy jutsu to surpass Itachi."

_There is one alternative, but it won't help him if he doesn't realize it._

Sairin then faded back into a memory of her own, after she woke up wounded by the Nakano River.

* * *

_It was a lovely day in spring in Otogakure. The lighthearted weather was reminiscent of youthfulness. A cool breeze carried about the fresh scent of the flora. Two children sat by a stream appearing a bit tired. One was Sairin. The other was a stunning boy with mid-length white hair and eyes that weren't quite the forest colour of emeralds._

Awake, awake, my soul, and sing!

The time for praise has come.

The silence of the night has passed;

A new day has begun.

"_What did you say your name was?" the white-haired boy asked._

"_Sa…" Sairin was unsure about how much to tell this boy. Certainly she liked him, and wanted to be able to trust him. "I am known as Satomi."_

"_Satomi?" the boy queried. "You wouldn't happen to be a shinobi, would you?"_

"_How did you know!" Sairin was taken aback._

_The boy shrugged. "You had some special movements when you were running away from the baker's son after you stole a pastry."_

_Sairin gulped. _I didn't think I was that obvious. I only did one flip, and that was when I leapt onto a tree. Oh wait, leaping from tree to tree isn't a civilian form of travel._ "It's Otogakure's problem. If they had a performing center, then I could support myself. I want to make the most of my stay, but I haven't been able to find work."_

"_Performing? Do you mean singing and dancing and theatre?"_

"_Yeah," Sairin answered. Singing in the local performing agencies was her only way to earn money. Sairin had been slightly hungry when the rations Itachi left for her ran short, and was singing to herself by the Nakano River. However, the Nakano had something good in store for her for once. The owner of a small performing group found her voice smooth and fairly stable, and that she had a very big vocal range. He asked her to work for his company, and Sairin, with no other means to support herself, agreed to a temporary contract. Since then, Sairin used the local entertainment groups to earn money. She hadn't counted on a lack of entertainment agencies, however, and found herself in a tight spot after traveling to Otogakure. "You know, you have a good voice. I bet you would do really well if you only tried. Hey, what's your name? You never told me."_

"_I am Kaguya Kimimaro," he introduced himself; slightly embarrassed that he had asked for her name first._

"_Hmm…" _That's an unusual name. "Kimi" is the way to address your friends casually. "Maro" is unheard of for names. Perhaps he meant "Maru"? Oh well, I'm not one to talk. Satomi isn't extremely rare, but the name on my pendant "Sairin" certainly is.

"_Something wrong?" Kimimaro asked._

"_I know this seems sudden, but can I call you Aniki?" Sairin pleaded without knowing that she subconsciously associated Kimimaro with Itachi._

"_How do you know I'm older than you?" he laughed._

"_Well, you look older."_

"_How old are you?"_

"_I'm ten."_

"_Well, I'm ten, too."_

"_Really?" Sairin wondered. Kimimaro looked perhaps two years older than he was. Sairin had been deceived by his maturity as well. "When's your birthday?"_

"_I'll turn eleven on June fifteenth," he said. "What about you?"_

_Sairin did not speak right away, but touched her pendant and gazed at it thoughtfully. In tinier font, a date was engraved in the metal. It read "December 01 of Year 167". Kimimaro looked at her intently, wondering how long she could possibly need to think._

"_I can't remember, but I have a theory," Sairin said slowly. She wanted to seem less childish by using bigger words, but they did not seem to suit her. "I have no memory of my life a before a little over two years back."_

_Though Sairin did not know it, Kimimaro became deep in thought at that moment. _A young kunoichi of great talent emerged in January two years back. She rose in reputation and gained the nickname Shadow Princess. Is this girl the Shadow Princess? I doubt such a feared name would be stealing stupidly from stingy bakers.

_Then, Sairin surprised Kimimaro by jumping back to another topic. "So, what do you say? The two of us would probably get plenty of jobs as performers in other areas."_

"_Um," Kimimaro stalled. He thought it would be a good experience for him, and it would certainly help since his entire family was deceased. But then, there was still his master to think about. How would such a man react when a servant left for a life of glamour? "I don't think I could do it. I can't breathe properly."_

"_Don't worry about that, silly Aniki!" Sairin cheerfully poked him. "I couldn't breathe properly, either, so they trained me!"_

"_I don't mean like that… I meant, I have a family sickness that makes me cough up blood frequently…" Kimimaro didn't like disclosing his illness, but "Satomi" seemed trustworthy enough._

Aniki has tuberculosis at such a young age?_ Sairin reflected. _That's sad. Aniki is so nice and pretty. He's too pretty to be a real Aniki, though. Still, Aniki saved me from that ninja boy. How was I supposed to know the baker's son was a shinobi?

* * *

_Their friendship grew as the weeks passed. Kimimaro's clan was dead, and all he could do to support himself was to use the family gold wisely. He dipped into the Kaguya family funds to help Sairin survive during her stay in Otogakure. He reasoned that since the Kaguya family had left a mountain of gold to one lone boy who would probably die before adulthood; it would not be unreasonable to help a good friend._

_All had been going well at Otogakure with the exception of Sairin's financial issues. That changed one day when mercenary bandits came after Sairin._

_Sairin and Kimimaro had taken to meeting under the shade of wisteria plants by the stream. This year's flora was especially abundant, and the light purple flowers were all that they needed to keep the harsh rays of sunlight from their skin. Their joyous rendezvous was interrupted by the angry cries of a group of bandits._

"_Are you the one known as the Shadow Princess?" a venomous voice called across the meadow. When Kimimaro and Sairin turned to look, they saw no fewer than twenty brigands armed and fierce._

_Sairin showed no particular expression, but coolly said, "My name is Satomi. I know of no other name."_

_The thugs talked among themselves. "The Shadow Princess is known as Satomi as well, isn't she?" "That's the kid!"_

_Since it became clear that the ruffians weren't leaving without a fight, Sairin told Kimimaro to get out of the way. "Stay back, Aniki. I will take care of this."_

She really is the Shadow Princess!_ Kimimaro realized. _But she's also my friend. I can't abandon her. Even if Satomi is strong, there are…at least twenty three men._ "No, Satomi. I will stay here and fight with you."_

"_So be it," Sairin had said, remembering that Kimimaro was of an advanced bloodline, the Kaguya blood of Kirigakure. Sairin activated her Sharingan and reached for her kunai. She jumped onto and then from a banyan tree and soared through the air._

_Meanwhile, Kimimaro had used his own bloodline ability. He pulled a bone out of his left shoulder and turned it into a sword (he was right handed, so therefore it was the better choice to use the bone from the left arm)._

_The skirmish was hardly decisive. Both ninja had managed to evade serious injuries. However, the bandits had not been hired without reason. Despite a lack of formal training, they were brawny and had long stamina. They must have come from a poor village, for hiring twenty brigands certainly didn't come very cheap._

_Taijutsu wasn't the best way to deal with the rogues for Sairin. Kimimaro had an advantage because of his bloodline ability, but Sairin was average at best. She knew that her own stamina wasn't exceedingly good, so she had to use her chakra for something more decisive. _We're not going to hold out that long against twenty something adults. What type of ninjutsu should I use? What would be an efficient use for my energy, and effective against the brigands at the same time?_ Sairin felt the presence of a long gone friend settle her uncertainty._

Amaterasu.

"_What?" Sairin uttered as she avoided being hit by an axe thrown by a desperate bandit. _Amaterasu_. "What does Amaterasu mean? I can't summon a goddess."_

_Maybe not, but the blessing of Amaterasu is intended for everyone born to the blood of a certain clan of Konohagakure._

We come from the fire, livin' in the fire,

Go back to the fire, turn the world around.

Water make the river, river wash the mountain,

Fire make the sunlight, turn the world around.

Fire make the sunlight, turn the world around.

_Or does the sunlight make the fire? Amaterasu's namesake jutsu, in the most basic form, saved the young tiring Sairin and ailed Kimimaro._

_Sairin had the Mangekyou Sharingan by the time she had first set foot in Otogakure. However, she had no idea what it was that changed her eyes. Sairin had no idea that activating her doujutsu would cause her eyes to turn red. She had no idea that her doujutsu was the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan. However, just because a user was ignorant of facts, it doesn't mean that they lack the ability. After all, how else could the user have attained Mangekyou Sharingan?_

_The blessing of black fire from Amaterasu ignited within each bandit. Sairin had no chakra to make a larger fire, nor had the very sun goddess felt it necessary to loan more of her great power._

_Each brigand was consumed by flames from within. Each blaze dissipated after their target was dead. Of course, since she was the one who channeled such a superior technique, Sairin passed out while on a tree. Kimimaro, who had just barely avoided being burnt while having his sword within the body of a bandit, rushed to catch his friend._

"_Sairin!" he called, hoping for a response. He received none. Slightly alarmed, Kimimaro felt for a pulse. Despite her immobile state, Sairin's heart beat strongly._

Let music never die in me!

Forever let my spirit sing!

Wherever emptiness is found,

Let there be joy and glorious sound.

Let music never die in me!

Forever let my spirit sing!

Let all our voices join as one,

To praise the Giver of the song.

Awake! Awake!

Let music live!

_Sairin looked at Kimimaro uneasily when she regained consciousness. Kimimaro had not abandoned her when trouble came along. Kimimaro had always been helpful and kind to her. Kimimaro was her Aniki, and deserved to know everything._

_"Aniki," Sairin began. "Aniki, can I tell you something?"_

_Kimimaro looked at her in surprise. "Yes, Satomi. I would be honored."_

_"I… I don't remember any before four years back. But I do have a pendant that holds some hints," Sairin held out her pendant to Kimimaro, who took it in his hand. "It says that this pendant was for a person named 'Sairin'. I probably am that Sairin, but I can't remember anything of that life."_

_"Satomi or Sairin…" Kimimaro trailed off. "Where were you when your memories began?"_

_"I was found in Konohagakure no Sato," Sairin replied._

_"I surmised as much," Kimimaro stated. Sairin gazed at him, unsure of what he might have meant by that. "Your doujutsu is a special bloodline ability of a clan in Konohagakure. I can't remember the exact name, but it was a prestigious clan."_

_Sairin was floating. For the first time, she thought back to the nearby property of a massacred clan. The land was delicate and was large enough to be a hidden village of its own, but the crimson rain that had fallen had tainted every square centimeter of it. "Aniki, does my doujutsu belong to a dead clan?"_

_The fragile looking boy beside was at a loss about what to do. _I can't simply tell her for sure her family is dead. Satomi, I mean, Sairin was alone so long. Now that a clue to her family has arisen, it'd be painful to learn that they are gone. I don't even remember the family's name.

_"Yes, Sairin," Kimimaro answered candidly. "They have been killed by one boy. He used to work in the same group as Orochimaru."_

_"Orochimaru?" Sairin wondered. "Who is that?"_

_Kimimaro's eyes widened when he realized he let slip the presence of his master. He hesitated awhile before saying, "Orochimaru used to work for Akatsuki. Under the same organization was a young man who struck enough fear into Orochimaru to cause him to leave. I cannot remember that man's name, but he had talent to behold. After he left, Orochimaru came here and founded Otogakure."_

_Sairin listened intently to her companion. When he finished, she asked, "Will you get in trouble for telling me this?"_

_Kaguya had to be honest with both Sairin and himself. "It shouldn't be any trouble if you don't go causing problems for Orochimaru."

* * *

_

_Sairin stayed in Otogakure for a few weeks after that. She asked Kimimaro to demonstrate his bloodline jutsu for her. He did, but Sairin grew disheartened when she learned her doujutsu wouldn't allow her to do the same. Sairin moped around, knowing full well that Kimimaro's amazing ability would have helped her greatly._

_"Sairin, please understand," he pleaded, "I can do these jutsu only because of the Kaguya blood. It's not that you're incompetent or anything like that."_

_"I know…" Sairin responded softly. "It's just that my doujutsu hasn't let me down before. It's the first time I've come into contact with a bloodline ability that doesn't use outside elements."_

_Kaguya knew his friend would be troubled no matter what. _I have to find a solution. She's looking for effective taijutsu for her build, and I happen to have a similar body type. I was near perfect, except my taijutsu exists because of my blood. We'll have to take the concept of each of my jutsu and modify it so she can do the same damage.

_They had a long way to go. Yanagi no Mai allowed Kimimaro to extend bones of his arm out of his hands to form two blade like weapons. Tsubaki no Mai gave him the ability to take a bone out of his body and use it as a sword. These two jutsu were easily substituted by the possession of a good weapon._

_Karamatsu no Mai allowed Kimimaro's ribs to come out and provide a perfect defense. Meanwhile, since his bones can become stronger than steel, Kimimaro can simply move and pierce any foes. Sairin was able to find an alternative to the defense. Sairin could use speed and ninjutsu to manipulate any element she mastered to use as a shield. However, the presence of a convenient weapon went unfilled._

_Tessenka no Mai allowed him to remove his spine and use it as a whip. Kimimaro can then choose to form a bone spear. Sairin was able to live without mastery of this technique. Spears were heavy an unwieldy for a small girl like herself. As for the whip, Sairin was able to make a perfectly acceptable one out of water._

_Sawarabi no Mai, the one technique he had not yet shown Sairin, caused countless spikes to emerge from his body. From there, Kimimaro could appear out of any of his bone trees without his opponent's knowledge. Kimimaro knew that no matter what they tried, they would never find a replacement for Sawarabi. Common sense told him that Sairin would only be discontented with herself if she ever saw that jutsu. On the other hand, Kimimaro knew he would regret never showing Sairin his ultimate move._

_This "never" would come soon. Kimimaro knew his health would not hold through adulthood. He didn't like to think of it, but he accepted his fate._

_When Sairin finally left Otogakure in early summer, right on his birthday on June fifteenth, Kimimaro had no regrets about finding a friend he could trust in her. He did not fear for her wellbeing. He did not fear that she would ever use his techniques against him, so much to the point that he created a bone sword and gave it to her. It was the first true friendship for him, and one that would last forever for her.

* * *

_

_Kimimaro… You were my first taijutsu teacher. Now that I think about it, you were more than just my friend and teacher. You really helped me. You told me as much as you knew about the Uchiha clan because you knew it would help me. You told me about Orochimaru even when it was forbidden, and it aided me in the second exam. I'm sorry I haven't been back to Otogakure._

Suddenly, Naruto's ever annoying voice cut through her thoughts, "Sasuke! Are you really Uchiha Sasuke! Is this the best you can do?" His words could get everyone's attention. Sairin hurried to get a view of the situation. Sasuke was nearly drained of all his chakra, but it seemed as though he just received a momentary stroke of brilliance.

Meanwhile, the Oto squad besides her was making insolent remarks about Sasuke for no apparent reason.

"He's such a weakling."

"What could Orochimaru want with him?"

"He's not even that good looking! He looks like dirt next to Kimimaro, even when he's coughing up blood!"

Sairin's patience snapped at the last comment. In one fluid movement, Sairin drew a bone sword Kimimaro had given to her, and used it as a blunt instrument. She had all three pressed against the wall by the sword. In cold fury, Sairin's voice changed from that of an angel's to that of a demon. "Never insult Kimimaro in order to further insult Sasuke." She glared at them, and even though they were less than happy to be pinned to the wall, they paid her little attention.

"We'll do what we want, thank you very much," Kin, the girl, retorted.

"We'll see about that," Sairin gave her a look of much distaste as she lowered the bone sword (which she knew none of them was unfamiliar with) and turned away. Then, just for good measure, she added, "For the record, all three of you are mere blemishes in the life of two exquisitely beautiful shinobi."

Ignoring the glowering squad, Sairin returned her icy blue gaze to the match. Yoroi had begun to run at Sasuke once more – for the last time. Sasuke surprised everyone with quick thinking and precise taijutsu form. Sasuke centered his body's focus near the ground, and then did an upwards side kick. As Yoroi was pushed through the air, Sasuke flew up to meet him. "Sorry, but from here on out, I'm going original."

"It's over. Kage Buyou!" Sasuke was about to perform the finishing blow, when his seal acted up. Sairin could literally see the pain pulsating from his body.

Then, as rapidly as the mark of the cursed seal had come, it disappeared. Right at that moment, Sasuke did an inward kick, which Yoroi managed to block. Yoroi grew quite over confident when he headed off Sasuke's first attack, but he failed to see that that was merely a first. Sasuke had fully planned on not clearing the kick. He pushed off of the floor, and did a double kick, first using his right leg for an inside kick, then rotating one hundred eighty degrees for an outside kick.

"Shishi Rendan!"

The moment of uncertainty came when Yoroi was unconscious and Sasuke had bounced off and landed stomach down on the floor. Sairin wondered if Sasuke fainted due to lack of energy. However, Sasuke pushed himself back up, albeit into a feminine sitting position that did nothing for his masculinity.

Gekkou Hayate declared Sasuke the winner. Sasuke smiled, and then in he began to fall over the other way. He would have done so too, if Kakashi had not appeared behind him to support him (reading his favorite book of course).

Despite the exchange of interesting and unusual words, there was no doubt that Team 7 was celebrating Sasuke's victory. Sairin herself was delighted that Sasuke had won and was relatively uninjured.

Afterwards, Kakashi had Sasuke leave. In spite of Sasuke's protests that he wanted to watch the matches, they had to seal up the Heaven Seal.

The matches after that did not feel anywhere near as long, if only for the selfish reason that they did not concern her friend. Aburame Shino had easily manipulated his bugs to destroy Zaku Abumi's arms. Shino's fight was one of genius. He had left no openings for Zaku to counter. Sairin knew that the each member of the Aburame clan was a living nest for bugs. She had studied every single family's special ability when she returned to Konoha. Sairin only knew what people told her. Sairin would look at a random shinobi, and ask the locals about that person. Of course, she had missed Sasuke entirely, because Sasuke was always training in the forest, and Sairin chose to study the city where she assumed most people would be.

The match after Zaku Abumi and Aburame Shino's was that of Misumi Tsurugi and Kankuro. Sairin learned that Kankuro had really taken after Sasori, the great puppet master of the desert. Surprisingly enough, Kankuro wasn't really as stupid as he looked. He was able to switch himself with his puppet very well, and win the match.

Then came the match between Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino. This match caused Sairin much distress. Both girls seemed to have an understanding. The first thing they did (aside from pick an argument) was reattach their Konoha protectors around their foreheads (meanwhile, Shikamaru muttered, "Those two? This could become irksome").

They went all out against each other. Sairin could tell they were both trying their best. However, they were overall not as amazing to watch, and her mind easily wandered to their feelings for Sasuke. Sairin knew that a boy like Sasuke would have the attention of many girls. Apparently the biggest rivalry over Sasuke's affections was between these two best friends.

_Those two want only two things: Sasuke's love and each other's approval. They strive to become their very best for their goals. Obviously Sasuke would find them both annoying. But neither one of them ever wronged him. Both of them did everything they could for him, unlike me._

_During the first life I had… the one when I was still with the Uchiha… I cared about Sasuke. But I never noticed that Sasuke may have loved me too. I was always seeking Itachi's love. Sasuke was always overshadowed by Itachi. It must have really been excruciating to lose even in love. If my feelings for Itachi didn't hurt him enough, then my actions definitely have. It was my fault that Itachi was accused of murdering Shisui. It was my fault that Itachi was driven to do what he did._

_If I had not killed Shisui, he would not have been so intent on protecting my status. Itachi did what he did to keep my name clean, because he knew he would always be viewed with loathing. Sasuke suffered every day after the massacre. There's no way he didn't. Sasuke idolized Itachi even though he was always neglected because of Itachi. The slaughter was a betrayal to Sasuke. He probably will never trust ever again. He'll live out his life hating Itachi, who is not at fault._

Sairin looked up briefly to see Ino feign Shintenshin. Sakura thought she had the upper hand because she was still in full control of her body. She did not notice that Ino had trapped her using the hair she had cut off. Ino wasted no time and performed her signature jutsu for real. Ino successfully invaded Sakura's mind, and was about to forfeit the match in Sakura's body. However, Ino forgot to factor in the fact that Sakura had multiple personalities. The spirit Ino had to face off with inner Sakura inside.

"I, Haruno Sakura, would like to…"

"Forfeit? Like hell I'll forfeit!"

Hayate looked at her confused. "Which is it?"  
"No way! My jutsu never fails!"

"Ino! If you don't get out of my body this instant, you'll regret it!"

_I have to make him see the truth. Itachi does not deserve to be hated by the younger brother he loves. Then, perhaps both of them can find some peace._

Sairin saw Ino release Sakura from her jutsu and fly back to her own body. "Two minds… what the hell are you!"

"Didn't you know?" a breathless Sakura taunted. "Women must be tough."

At that moment, they both knew they had to give it their all. They recklessly but determinedly ran at each other and knocked each other out with a blow to the face.

Since both of them were unconscious, both were disqualified. Sairin smiled as she saw their friendship and their courage shine a light. _I wish I could be that strong._

After that, there was a short match between Tenten of Hyuuga Neji's squad and Temari of the Sand. Though Tenten was skilled, all of her attacks had no effect on Temari's wind manipulation. Temari easily won.

A conflict appeared after the match, however. Temari threw Tenten across the room in disgust, much to Lee's fury. Lee used Konoha Senpuu, only to be stopped by Temari, who mocked, "It's just as I thought. You are as weak as you look."

"What?"

"Lee! Stop this at once!"

"Gai-sensei!" Lee could not fight his teacher's command.

At the same time, the youngest Sand sibling heaved a sigh as he demanded, "Temari, get back up here! You've been declared the winner of the match, so stop wasting your time with Mr.-I-have-to-protect-every-woman."

It took all the strength of Gai to drag his infuriated pupil away from the Sand siblings. In the meantime, Gai warned him about the power of the Sand squad.

Nara Shikamaru fought Tsuchi Kin in the next match. This one interested Sairin greatly without causing waves of guilt to wash over her. _Kin is too arrogant. Just because she knows what Shikamaru's ability is, it doesn't mean she will win. In fact, I think Shikamaru is always a step ahead of her._ Sairin watched as Kin distracted Shikamaru with a string to ring the bells attached to the needles on the wall. _He dodged both needles, and assumed that there would be another attack. Ah…That looked painful… Wait! The string…they didn't have a shadow before. Is this..? Haha… Shikamaru, you lazy ass genius bastard…_

Sairin smirked as she watched Shikamaru get up and approach a stricken Kin._ I have a feeling I know what his idea is. I can't wait to see her get what she deserves._

She watched Shikamaru slowly pull out a shuriken while Kin mirrored him. They threw the shuriken at each other. At last minute, Shikamaru fell backwards into a bridge in order to avoid the shuriken. Kin, however, fell backwards and bashed her head into the wall behind her.

Sairin noticed Shikamaru mouth something to the now cataleptic Kin. She didn't hear the words, but she knew. _He could have simply backed down into a bridge, but he wouldn't be able to persuade himself to use enough speed to knock her out if he didn't fear for his own safety._

The next match was between Uzumaki Naruto and Inuzuka Kiba. Sairin used the transition to move over to the area near Kakashi. _I'm not technically part of their team, but if it wasn't for Kakashi, I wouldn't even be here._ "This should be a good fight."

Almost. They were both bold in terms of personality, and even in terms of strength. A notable moment was when Kiba used a smoke bomb and it backfired. Naruto took the opportunity to use Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to hold Akamaru, then transformed into Akamaru, and then ran out to bite Kiba. _The fang gets bitten. How ironic. _Of course, then Naruto starts acting immature and complaining that Kiba tasted like dog.

Another notable move was when Naruto transformed into Kiba. Akamaru had used his special jutsu to transform himself into Kiba already. With all three of them bearing the same appearance, only Naruto can freely attack. Kiba then easily sniffed out the real Naruto, and hit him, only to find when the smoke cleared, a wounded Akamaru. Kiba then turned around to face Akamaru-Kiba and rashly struck his own partner. The dog's transformation vanished. Kiba found himself surrounded by two unconscious Akamaru. Naruto took this chance to get up, un-transform, and then kick Kiba in the face.

"Think before using a jutsu that can be turned on you," Naruto lectured, satisfied with himself. "And don't fall for such obvious traps!"

Sairin noticed Kakashi's eye widen, and then narrow. "Thanks…"

The fight proceeded, and Naruto got the upper hand in the most Naruto way possible. He passed gas, and the odor affected Kiba a thousand times more than it usually would, due to the ninpou jutsu. This, of course, made everyone in the room gape, frozen to the spot. Still, the fight wasn't over. Naruto continued by using his signature move, the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Just as he stated in his brazen way, he returned every single blow with each bunshin clone. He finale'd with a move he called, "Naruto Rendan."

By the time Naruto stopped basking in his glory and returned to the upper level, Hinata was waiting for him. She offered him an ointment which he gladly accepted though it was curious that she would be offering it to him before to Kiba. Naruto wondered why Hinata was helping him as well, but took it when Kurenai told him just to take it. Naruto, who was right next to Sairin (as she was next to Kakashi by now), offered the medicinal cream to Sakura after a little bit of use. Kakashi noted mentally that only Naruto could heal at that rate because of the Kyuubi. Afterward, Hinata went to give Kiba another jar of the same ointment.

During that time, Kiba told Hinata to watch out. "There are only six of you left. If you get that Sand user or your cousin, forfeit immediately." Hinata didn't respond.

The screen then displayed the next match up. Hyuuga Hinata was to fight her cousin Hyuuga Neji. Hyuuga Neji began the fight with a long and dragging lecture. Sairin had believed that he was too elegant to rant, but she was proven dead wrong. Neji ranted about everything: Hinata's weakness, Hinata's lack of confidence, Hanabi, how people cannot change once they are born, how losers will remain losers, how 'elite' and 'loser' are created, how people judge and are judged by certain values, people discriminate and are discriminated against, and how people suffer because of themselves. He didn't stop there. Neji continued to relate that to their own situation within the Hyuuga family. Neji compared everything he said to the fact that he was born to the branch family and that could not be changed.

"I am able to see through many things with Byakugan," Neji said. "I can see that you are only acting strong. You would truly like nothing better than to run away."

While Sakura asked Kakashi about the Byakugan, Sairin watched Hinata protest, "No, Brother Neji. I really want to be here to change myself."

However, all her words went down the drain when Neji activated Byakugan and stared her down. Even though the difference was hardly noticeable in Neji's eyes, Hinata shivered and looked more timid than ever.

"You can't fool my Byakugan, Hinata-sama," Neji firmly concluded. "Just now, your eyes floated to the upper left. This means you were remembering your painful past. And after that, your eyes looked to the lower right. That means you were imagining physical and mental suffering. You are imagining the results of this match. You are imagining that you will lose!"

Sairin personally didn't find Neji very intimidating – just creepy. _What did he do, spend all his time memorizing what eye movements symbolize? And it's really faint to watch Hinata's eyes move, since her irises are white and blend right in with the rest of her eye._ Meanwhile, Sakura voiced the same thoughts to no one in particular.

"The action of raising your arms up in front of you shows that you are trying to make a barrier between us and distance yourself from me," Neji continued. "You are trying to keep me from seeing your true feelings because everything I have said is accurate. Furthermore," What more could he possibly say? "Touching your lip is a trait revealing a disturbance. It's a defensive mechanism that softens worry. Haven't you realized, Hinata-sama, that you can't change your –"

"You can!" Naruto shouted. Then directing his words to Neji, he yelled, "Stop deciding things about people, idiot!" He then addressed Hinata once more, "Kick that bastard's ass, Hinata! Hinata! Stand up for yourself! This is difficult to watch!"

Thoughts raced across both Hyuuga's minds. Neji hypocritically wondered when Naruto would shut up, while Hinata reflected on Naruto's words. Hinata hardened her resolve to do her best, thinking, _Thank you, Naruto-kun_.

Her determination did not go unnoticed by Neji. "So you won't forfeit after all. I'm not responsible for what happens now."

"I no longer wish to run away!" Hinata activated Byakugan. "Let's fight!"

It was remarkable to watch. Both were trained in the Juuken taijutsu style of the Hyuuga clan. Both learned the same moves. Still, Neji was superior as far as fighting went. Not only was he stronger, he was also faster. Neji effortlessly stopped her blows and sealed her chakra pathways. Nonetheless, Hinata did not give up.

"Hinata-sama, this is the difference in talent that will never change. This is the difference that separates the elite from the losers. This is the reality that cannot be changed. You said that you did not want to run away. Surely you knew you would regret your decision. You must be swamped in desperation now. Forfeit," he commanded.

Hinata pushed herself up from the ground and strained herself to say, "I don't go back on my word. That is also my ninja way."

"That's amazing that she is so determined," Sairin murmured, "but she is touching her limit. Hinata can no longer perform Juuken. She's going to be a punching bag for Neji if she continues."

Naruto didn't care about reason. "You can do it, Hinata!"

At Naruto's encouragement, Hinata's heart grew strong again. She could no longer to Juuken, but she did her best to combat Neji with regular taijutsu. As expected, Hinata was physically too weak for Neji. Neji caused her blood to flow out freely.

"You just don't understand, do you? Your attacks have done nothing."

But even though Hinata was near unconsciousness and had lost quite an amount of blood, she overwrought her body to carry out the will of her heart.

"Why do you stand?" Neji asked. "If you keep pushing yourself, you'll die."

"It's not over," Hinata faintly said.

"Acting tough is useless," Neji remarked, and Sairin had to agree. "You can barely stand. From your birth, the responsibility of the Hyuuga main house has been forced upon your shoulders. You hated yourself for your weakness, but people cannot change. That is destiny. You don't have to suffer anymore. Let it go."

"That's not true, Brother Neji," Hinata asserted. "It's not me at all. The person lost and suffering within the destiny of the main and branch houses is you."

Hinata must have touched a nerve, because Neji ran at her without control for the first time. Hayate shouted, "Neji, the match is over!" but he didn't listen.

Sairin stepped in. She grabbed both his wrists and spread his arms apart, and then pressed him against the wall. She said nothing, but when she felt the tenseness in his arms relax, she turned around.

"No one jumped in for the other matches," Neji said bitterly. "This is just special treatment for the Hyuuga main family, isn't it?"

"The other matches went rapidly from lively to knockout. For your match, you slowly hurt Hinata, and now, when she is near death, you still want to attack. That is the difference," Sairin told him. "Remember Shikamaru's match? Kin was perfectly fine one second before she hit the wall. In fact, right now, Kin is in better shape that Hinata is in."

This didn't go well at all with Neji. When her back was turned, Neji decided to do a Hakke Rokujuuyonshou on her. Sairin felt the movement, but was at a loss for thought. _I really don't feel like putting up with this. Should I freeze him or burn him?_

Sairin didn't have time to decide. Neji struck her twice and then four times. Before his third round could occur, the jounin stepped in. Hayate, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Gai all restrained Neji from further attack.

"Neji, give it a rest," Gai implored. "You told me you wouldn't lose your head over this Hyuuga main family and branch family stuff."

"Oh, great. Here's even more special treatment for dear Princess Uchiha Sairin," he muttered, sarcasm dripping off every word. The jounin paid little attention to his words, but Sairin caught the last part.

She turned around and stared directly into his Byakugan. "How did you know?"

Since the staff had not listened, they could not understand this quarrel. However, Neji considerately answered her without spilling any more, "Your skill caught my notice before the first exam. Ice is quite unusual for a Konoha shinobi. When I finished getting my answers, I used Byakugan to watch you and that Uchiha Sasuke talk. It wasn't difficult to read your lips. You put so much emotion into your words." Before Sairin could retort, Hinata passed out onto the floor. Neji took that opening to address Naruto, "Hey, you. Yeah, the loser in orange. I'd like to tell you two things. If you're a shinobi, then quit it with the support of others. And also, a loser is a loser. They cannot change!"

Naruto's eyes flashed dangerously. "You want to test me?" Neji smirked. Naruto took that as a yes, and began to charge, but Lee stopped him.

"Naruto-kun, I understand how you feel, but fighting should only happen in the official matches. Whether a loser can defeat an elite through power or hard work, we will see in the finals. His opponent may be me, but if it's you, I hold no grudge," Lee said.

Right then, Hinata coughed up more blood. Kurenai felt her pulse, threw Neji a look of pure hatred. He looked at her indifferently and told her, "If you have time to glare at me, then tend to her wounds."

When the medical team had taken Hinata away, Naruto did a grand gesture. He scooped up a fistful of Hinata's blood in his right hand, and swore, "You're going down."

It took awhile for everyone to clear out after the commotion, but the fact that Lee and Gaara were facing off next match definitely helped. Sairin wasn't very captivated by this match however. She knew Lee only used taijutsu which she had seen more than enough of from Kimimaro, and she had already seen most of Gaara's techniques. Nothing caught her attention until Lee removed the weights from his legs. When he tossed them aside, a great amount of debris flew into the air.

She, and everyone else in the room, had the same thought: _Isn't that a bit of overkill, Gai-sensei?_

The fight went on without much change. However, Sairin noticed that Lee was getting gradually faster. Sairin was ever so surprised when Lee managed to scratch the side of Gaara's face. _Gaara's wall of sand couldn't keep up? That's a first._

Gaara's emotions changed as well. He seemed to lose his cool demeanor and gained one of bloodlust and sadism.

Lee tossed Gaara around for awhile, and when he received approval from Gai, he performed the forbidden Omote Renge technique. It had devastating effects. Had Lee actually hit Gaara and not an empty shell of Sand, Gaara would most certainly have been disqualified.

Gaara appeared behind him and return the blows. Lee didn't give up. He planned to use the forbidden Ura Renge. Lee would open the Celestial Gates and risk his life to gain the same recognition all his friends received.

That's just what he did. Lee hit Gaara with the Ura Renge. Gaara broke his gourd into sand and used it as a last minute defense. Both boys were still in the match. Gaara was in the worst state he had ever been in, but Lee was far too worn out. Sairin watched in horror as an all too familiar technique came out.

Sabaku Kyuu effortlessly caught the fatigued Lee. In fact, Gaara had enough energy left that he would have proceeded onto Sabaku Sousou if Gai had not interfered.

Gaara struggled to keep his mind clear and asked, "Why did you save him?"

Gai did not hesitate to answer, "He is my beloved comrade."

Sairin knew Gaara had never been given such kindness, and could not understand those words. She felt immense relief when he walked off saying, "That's enough."

Everything was going fine until Lee stood up and demanded that the match continue where it left. Of course, since he fell down again soon after due to both an arm and leg being crushed by Sabaku Kyuu, Lee was disqualified alive.

The last match was between the Oto genin Dosu Kinuta and Akimichi Chouji. Unlike the previous suspenseful matches, this one was fast. Dosu's destructive sound waves knocked Chouji out in less than two minutes.

Sairin barely listened when the Hokage explained that the final test would a similar competition, and that all finalists will be given a month to recover and improve. Her mind had wandered back to Sasuke, and she decided she would visit him in the hospital sometime.

* * *

"What do you mean, Sasuke isn't here?" Sairin demanded impatiently of the attendant at the front desk. "He's in no shape to be moving around!"

The lady was losing her patience too. "I mean, that Sasuke is somewhere else! Why don't you go ask Kakashi instead of bitching to me about it!"

Sairin sighed and knew that she couldn't blame the woman. She decided she might as well go and visit some of the other genin in the hospital. She peeked inside the first room specially set aside for the participants of the chuunin exam. Lee was asleep inside. She decided that at least she could keep him company, as he didn't really get that many girls visiting him.

She felt a troubled presence approaching and hid herself. She peeked around the closet door and saw Gaara. Normally, Gaara would have sensed her by now. However, he seemed to be distressed to the point that he couldn't sense her at all. His hand hovered above Lee's face, and he seemed to be shaken about what to do.

As he was pondering in his bothered state, Naruto came out of nowhere and punched him away. "What are you up to, Gaara?"

Gaara didn't mince words. "I was trying to kill him."

"Why?" Shikamaru asked. "You won the fight. Do you have some sort of a grudge against him or something?"

His answer was chilling to say the least. "I don't. I just want to kill him."

"You must have had one messed childhood," Shikamaru commented. "How self-centered can you get?"

Gaara gave them little concern. "If you get in my way, I'll just kill you too."

Shikamaru could not change that decision. He and Naruto began to argue as well, adding to the image of weakness Gaara had of them. "I told you to stop that. Don't you understand that he is as powerful as a monster?"

"I have a real monster in me! I won't lose to him!"

"Stop provoking him!"

"Did you say a monster? It's the same for me…" Gaara surprised both of the Konoha genin. "I did have a messed up childhood. I was born by taking the life of my mother. My father attached a monster to me through ninjutsu in order to create an ultimate shinobi tool for Sunagakure. I was born a monster."

"By sacrificing my mother's life, I was created to be the village's greatest masterpiece and the Kazekage's youngest son. My father taught me to fight, and gave me whatever material things I wanted. I believed that was love. That all changed when my father ordered assassination attempts on my life!"

"By the age of six, I was deemed to dangerous to keep alive. They think of me as nothing but a mistake they want to erase. So why do I exist?" Gaara demanded. "Why am I alive? I found no answer. As you live, you began to need a reason. Otherwise, it's as good as being dead."

"Then I came across a conclusion which worked. I lived to fight for myself and love only myself. When I began to think that people existed only to give myself that experience, there is no better feeling. As long as there is someone for me to kill, I can feel the joy of living."

Naruto and Shikamaru were at a temporary loss for what to do, until Sairin came out and slapped Gaara in the face without any ninjutsu to back herself up. "Do you think you are the only one with a tragic past? Do you think of yourself as the world's greatest tragedy hero!"

* * *

Author's Note: I'm sorry I didn't release this until today (Sunday). I intended to release this along with chapter 2 on Friday.

Note2: I was so high on victory crack last night about finishing the 3rd chapter edits, that I forgot to edit the document once uploaded, and so there were no line breaks. Fixed.

The songs I used are "The Awakening" and "Turn the World Around".


	4. 4 Pure Freedom

**Warning:** I am really high on no-homework-crack right now.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**Pairings:** Itachi/Sairin (Even though Itachi isn't quite in the picture yet, if Sairin didn't have any feelings for Itachi, then she wouldn't be in the mess she's in. I want this to show exactly how sometimes life messes with people.), one-sided Sasuke/Sairin (you can see this in how Sairin always feels so terrible for how much pain she's caused him), Haku/Sairin friendship, Ino/Sairin friendship.

* * *

Sairin came out and slapped Gaara in the face without any ninjutsu to back herself up. "Do you think you are the only one with a tragic past? Do you think of yourself as the world's greatest tragedy hero!"

* * *

"What?" For once, Shikamaru was the one who could not understand.

Sairin ignored him, knowing that Shikamaru had a normal childhood and could not grasp this pain. "This boy here, Naruto, had the Kyuubi sealed inside him as a child. If it was not sealed away, then the entire Konoha would be destroyed. Yet people treated him as if he were a monster!"

Naruto wanted to glare viciously at Gaara for being unreasonable, but he felt the decade of sadness wash over him. Tormenting memories of isolation and discrimination renewed in his mind.

"I heard from Iruka that Naruto caused all sorts of trouble to get attention," Sairin seethed, "but he never once hurt anyone. He wanted acknowledgement that he was another person in this world. He wanted to live in harmony with everyone else. But you only care about yourself. You want to kill just to satisfy a craving to kill."

"And what about Sasuke? He didn't even have a monster sealed inside him. Still, no one paid attention to him." With every word said, Sairin's foggy memories grew just the slightest bit clearer. "His own parents did little more than feed him and send him to school. All anyone ever saw was the younger and less capable brother of the great prodigy Itachi! No one seemed to care that Sasuke was already far above average, or that he was so determined to be Itachi's equal!"

Taking only a light breath as instilled into her by voice instructors (and to maintain the intensity), Sairin pressed on, "Itachi didn't fare any better. He was like you, Gaara. His father saw him as a very useful tool. His parents cared for Itachi much more closely, but only to make sure he progressed rapidly as a shinobi every day. With the exception of Sasuke and me, Itachi was always just an entity to the world. But even that changed. I did not intend it to happen, but I was the one who caused Itachi to despair and massacre the Uchiha. I caused Itachi to worry to that extent! It was because of me that Itachi had to unwillingly betray his beloved younger brother!"

"I can't say my life was much happier. I had my moments of course," Sairin hurriedly added for the sake of Kimimaro, Haku, Zabuza, and Chiyo. "I was born into a family of the Uchiha clan. My parents didn't care for me at all. They had wanted a son, and thus, I was a failure in their eyes since my birth. Like Itachi and Sasuke, it didn't matter how hard I tried. No one would treat me any differently. Itachi would try to show that he was competent, and hope that his parents would be satisfied to let him have a real childhood. Sasuke would try to show that he wasn't worth less than his brother. I would try to prove to my parents that I could be the equal of any boy. It didn't make a difference. They couldn't care less that I showed more promise than anyone in my entire line. My mother and father, and their direct ancestors were all weaker shinobi. When I revealed abilities that could equal the main family's, they only resented me for having taken their ancestors' power and saved it for myself…"  
Naruto whispered to Shikamaru, "I don't get it. What's she talking about Uchiha and Sasuke and weasels and her faults? She started easy, but then everything got complicated and –"

"Shh!" Shikamaru harshly silenced his friend. "I'd say that this girl Satomi is another surviving Uchiha, making her Uchiha Satomi. She isn't talking about weasels. She's talking about Sasuke's elder brother, Itachi. Stop bothering me now."

"Everyone else just found me no better than an illegitimate child. My parents probably would have wanted an illegitimate son more than they would have wanted me. Sasuke's mother treated me a little bit better, but only when she found that I was a promising marriage prospect for Itachi!" Although Sairin had not wanted to become Neji's double, she behaved very much like Neji, much to Gaara's annoyance.

"We were betrothed. I don't think Itachi ever loved me, but I definitely loved him. Because I couldn't watch him die, I killed a respected man. Itachi still saw me as a pure younger sister, and couldn't stand for murder to be on my permanent record," Sairin spat out the last few words bitterly. "I killed a man, and Itachi was suspected. It's as if all the Uchiha hated the tool which gave them such aid. After a year, Itachi couldn't hold onto the act, and just wiped them all out. He made me forget everything. I woke up alone, and without any memories. I had to live alone, Gaara!"

Gaara looked at her nonchalantly. "At least your parents never ordered you to be killed."

Sairin could not believe that anyone could be so indifferent to the anguish of others. "I had to live. I was only eight years old; a weak and foolish girl. All of a sudden, I had to support myself because I had nowhere to go to. How was I supposed to know that I was entitled to a mountain of Uchiha gold? How was I supposed to know my best friend would have been overjoyed to see that I lived? How was I supposed to make up for the distress I caused my fiancé? I couldn't. From there on out, I had to make full use of my doujutsu to stay alive and get stronger."

"Without any other reason, my purpose was to become powerful. I had nothing else to live for. I didn't seek blood," Sairin emphasized. "Instead, I traveled around the world asking great shinobi to teach me. I even made a couple of friends in Kirigakure and Otogakure. Although, I'm sure I learned more by copying the attacks of bandits who were out for easy prey," she added as an afterthought.

Finally returning to her original point, Sairin directed her iced words at Gaara, "You don't have it the worst. We've all suffered more than we should."

To this, Gaara revealed a side of him that was neither composed nor insane, but a side that represented anger. "People didn't run away from you for no reason! We're different! You don't know what it's like to hold Shukaku in your body!"

"How are we so different?" Sairin asked softly. "Itachi, Sasuke, and I don't have monsters in our bodies, but we are just entities in people's eyes, the way you are. Naruto has a monster in his body, and is viewed as one, just like you."

"No! Let me feel it!"

"That's enough!" Gai interrupted from the door. "The finals are tomorrow. Don't get overanxious unless you want to remain here from today."

Gaara silently fumed, but unsteadily made his way to the hallway. "I'll definitely kill you; all of you."

* * *

"Satomi?" Naruto called out as she neared the end of the hallway. She turned around to face him, wondering what he could possibly need her for.

"Yes, Naruto? What do you need?"

"Well, uh, did you say you've been to Kirigakure?" There was something devious and sneaky about the way Naruto asked this question that made Sairin want to lie and tell him he heard incorrectly.

"Yes, I've been there," she told the hyper ninja truthfully.

"Well, you wouldn't by chance have seen the Naruto Bridge in Namigakure while passing by, would you?"

"Naruto Bridge?" Sairin wondered. "No, I've never heard of it. Is it a recently built bridge? I have not been to Kirigakure or Namigakure for over two years now."

Naruto was visibly disappointed that Sairin hadn't the slightest clue that there was a bridge named after him. Still, he had started the conversation, and had to make something come of it. "Have you ever heard of Gatou? Kakashi, Sakura-chan, Sasuke, and I all worked to take him out! We had to deal with a bratty kid named Inari along the way, but I was able to change him and make him help us. Then, we had to fight two ninja who were used by Gatou to weaken us! Yeah, there was that Zabuza guy and this really beautiful guy who looks like a girl named Haku. Gatou didn't expect them to live, and even if they did live, he was going to kill them anyway."

"Wait!" Sairin commanded. Naruto had been so deep in his tirade; he jumped in surprise when he remembered Sairin was there with him. "Did you say you knew Zabuza and Haku?"

"Uh… yeah!" Naruto affirmed. "Haku died protecting Zabuza from Kakashi's Raikiri skill. Then, Zabuza got all angry at Gatou for using them and then disrespecting Haku, and grabbed a kunai and charged into an army of mercenaries. Yeah, it was pretty crazy, but he managed to kill Gatou and wound several mercenaries along the way. After that, the five of us – that's me Sakura-chan, Sasuke, Kakashi, old man Tazuna, and the citizens of Kirigakure scared the army off."

"…" Sairin felt another chunk of her heart break off. _Haku, you died protecting Zabuza-san. That's just so like you. Haku…why couldn't this have happened a year later? Perhaps your death was inevitable, but I wanted to have seen the two of you one last time._ Tears filled her eyes and threatened to overflow, but Sairin evaporated them with her fire element.

Naruto didn't know what to do about Sairin's reaction. "Did you know them too?"

* * *

_A few months after Sairin had been given an opportunity to work for an entertainment company to support herself, Sairin decided she could do the same and survive anywhere. One day, she set out on a journey that would change herself and her outlook on life. She had aimlessly traveled to the eastern edge of Konoha, and taken a ship to Water Country. Sairin wandered around in the cooler region until she was surrounded by the mist._

_"It's strange how I feel so as much at home here as in Konoha. I guess it's because I don't really have a home either way."_

_Distantly, she could see a strange figure. Closer, Sairin realized that it was actually two figures. The first was a tall man – one who was only recently a man. He was not very old, perhaps two decades old. Beside him was a beautiful child of about ten years who looked a bit weathered by harsh times._

_Though Sairin felt a great chakra emanating from the boy's body, she watched only the man._ I wonder if he can teach me some local ninjutsu…

_Sairin passed the duo without a spoken word. However, the extremely pretty boy (or was that a girl?) watched Sairin carefully. She noticed his observations and concluded, _That must be a lonely kid, traveling with no other kids to play with.

* * *

_Sairin checked her remaining funds. _There's still plenty from my last job. I should still find the local entertainment troupe to arrange some work. A full coin purse won't last long in a country where prices skyrocket. I'm glad I purchased rations earlier.

_The people of Kirigakure and the neighboring Namigakure were mostly living in poverty. They barely had enough to live, and so claimed any chance to improve their lives. One such resident of Kirigakure was seduced by Sairin's satin bag of gold. He had reasoned that Sairin was a wealthy girl and would not need the money as much as the citizens of Kirigakure did. While Sairin was deciding on where to find a contract as well as a well-trained shinobi to apprentice herself to, the twenty something year old man snatched the satin bag and ran off._

_The theft was poorly planned to say the least. The man fled immediately, but did not cover his tracks as he ran. Sairin pursued him until he disappeared into a crowd. It wasn't a large crowd, but it was enough for Sairin to lose sight of him._

_Sighing, she gave up. _They can't really help their current situation. I'll still have to get a contract soon or I'll be the one in poverty._ Then, as if a god heard her laments, Sairin caught sight of the duo she passed earlier. She made her way over to arrange some training. _I can't sit around and not achieve anything today.

_"Excuse me, sir," Sairin greeted the man. He didn't hear her, and she found out why. The other man who had stolen her gold was trying to pay for the tall man's services._

_"I will offer you this much gold," he held out the bag. "All I ask is that you slay the local bandits who pilfer anything our village gets." He pleaded with the man while the man only looked at him with remote interest._

_Sairin took that moment to sneak up behind the thief and smash him down into the ground. "As if! If you're so interested in killing bandits, then go do so instead of stealing gold from visitors!"_

_"Ah…" the child with delicate features from before knelt beside the thief with concern. "He's knocked out. I think he's bleeding…"_

_"He deserves it!" Sairin seethed. "He stole money from a child! Honestly, don't you think he should have at least done his country a favor and stolen from a citizen instead? How will Kirigakure get visitors when its citizens have notoriety for theft?"_

_"I don't think the people here can stay afloat with so little money…"_

_"That's his problem," Sairin lividly stated. "I'm not exactly living on an endless pile of gold either."_

_"Haku," the man said to the child. "If you have nothing more to say to this girl, we will be on our way."_

_"Yes, Zabuza-san," Haku obliged._

_"Wait!" Sairin couldn't let her one opportunity slip through her fingers like this. "Where are you going? Let me follow you two!"_

_They looked at each other uncertainly. Zabuza bent down and told her, "We're on a dangerous journey. Trust me; you won't want to be around us."_

_"I do!" Sairin insisted. "I want to become stronger, and I can only do so in the presence of powerful shinobi such as you. If it would sway your decision, I will give you this gold I earned in Konohagakure."_

_"I don't care about gold," Zabuza muttered._

_Haku looked desperately at Sairin, hoping that he would get a friend his age to travel with for the first time in three years. Sairin took a more logical approach to the obstinate man. "You need gold to pay for living expenses."_

_Zabuza did not respond. He just kept walking. Haku and Sairin followed closely, praying that Zabuza wouldn't tell Sairin to leave. He didn't.

* * *

_

_Zabuza was not a man to take something without paying. In exchange for Sairin's gold, he began to teach her how to best wield a large sword. Aside from teaching her the basic philosophies and movements, he refined her moves._

_"Your form is strained, Sairin," he criticized. "It's true that you can't simply relax in a fight, but the way you tense up like that will only make you lose your chakra faster. Try to do it more naturally."_

_The weeks came and passed. Sairin had to get a new contract with one of the few prospering companies in Kirigakure. It was a much more difficult deal because Sairin was new to the idea of interviews, and Kirigakure did not have much funding to pay for a new performer. Zabuza gradually accepted that Sairin wasn't going to be leaving them any time soon. Sairin learned that Haku was in fact a boy of a noble bloodline._

_One refreshing day after training, Sairin gathered enough to courage to randomly start a conversation with Haku. "Hey, Haku…Do you ever do training yourself?"_

_"I practice my bloodline ability sometimes…"_

_"What's your special ability?" Sairin asked, realizing that she had never once seen Haku perform any ninjutsu. Even when they skirmished with brigands, Haku only combated with swords and needles._

_"I can manipulate water and ice." Haku said sadly. "My advanced blood is the reason why I am traveling with Zabuza-san."_

_"Why is that?" Sairin forgot about training for the moment, curious about Haku's past._

_"…"_ _Haku gazed across the ocean and appeared to see something Sairin could not. "People with special abilities were hated and feared because they were blamed for the shinobi wars. Anyone with advanced blood had to hide their skills or face certain death. When my father found out about my mother's blood, he killed her. He would have killed me too, but in my fear, I made ice spikes come out of nowhere and gouge him. After that, I just waited in the slums, doing nothing and starving, until I met Zabuza-san. Zabuza-san wanted my blood. The fact that I could be useful for something satisfied me, so now I travel with Zabuza-san."_

_Sairin reminisced about the place where she had been found. She thought of the dead shinobi nearby. _Could they have been my family? I was so afraid at the time, I ran away without getting more than an eyeful. _"We're not so different, Haku. I have no family. I can't even remember any of my life before January."_

_Haku was surprised. "But that would mean you have only had about a month and a half of memory. How is it that you can fight like this?"_

_"I don't know…" Sairin knew this to be the truth. "Perhaps I had a good teacher before I lost my memory. I read books in the Konohagakure library often, and found that a number of jutsu came to me naturally."_

_"Stand up."_

_"What?"_

_"Stand up. You'll be able to watch my technique better," Haku said simply. Sairin hurried to get up and hop onto a tree. She subconsciously activated her doujutsu._

_Haku's form was every bit as beautiful as his face. His speed was amazing, he was very nimble, he had astounding reaction time, and his aim was true. The techniques he used were otherworldly by themselves. Haku could move water and freeze it any way he wished. A favorite of his was to freeze water into the form of a thousand ice needles and aim them at the opponent. Another move was to freeze water into the form of long flat ice mirrors that surrounded an enemy from 360 degrees. Haku could hide himself inside the mirrors. All the other mirrors would reflect the same image of Haku. Even if the foe decides to futilely attempt to break each mirror, he would only manage to hurt himself. Haku's ice mirrors were near unbreakable, and he could simply leap into the next mirror if there was danger. Sairin noticed that the most startling thing was that Haku could perform the hand seals one-handed._

_"Wow, Haku! That was miraculous!" Sairin remarked._

_Haku didn't know how to accept such a compliment. "It was nothing…It was just water manipulation aided by my advanced blood…Hey, Sairin, were your eyes…your eyes are different!"_

_"Oh!" Sairin remembered her doujutsu. "I think I have something special about my eyes. They can track a lot of movement and help me learn new jutsu."_

_"Hm…I wonder if you can learn my water and ice jutsu…if you look at it, it's really just manipulation of the water and ice elements…"_

_The possibilities were endless. Haku's calm reasoning shaped a new path for Sairin. If he had not said that it was possible, Sairin would never have gained the confidence to constantly try to attain new jutsu. They worked at the basics for half a month, allowing Zabuza to focus on his own training._

_Astonishingly enough, Sairin was comfortable in manipulating water and ice. She could stably control them for every day purposes. The true training was mastering it as if she had been born to do so. Haku was patient and worked with her every single day. After several weeks, Sairin was able to scatter half a thousand needles. When a month had passed, Sairin could distribute a thousand ice needles with great speed. Another month passed, and Sairin gained the ability to create 360 degrees worth of ice mirrors. The only setback was that Sairin's mirrors were breakable. However, it wasn't a big problem because Sairin could still move between mirrors and use the reflections to successfully confuse any opponent.

* * *

_

_Sairin returned during the winter season for the next two years, mostly because she wanted to see the beauty of the snowy village where Haku was born. Her friendship with Haku grew tremendously, and even Zabuza grew to like her. Sairin always made sure she worked overtime during autumn so that she could give surplus gold to her two Kirigakure friends._

_Maybe Haku had a premonition. Maybe Haku foresaw that the third visit was the last time they would ever be together. When Sairin came the last time, Haku waited with a bolt from the blue…a gentle lightning bolt anyway._

_"Haaaaaakuuuuuuu!" Sairin called blissfully to her friend from a distance. She had to run half a mile to actually have a real conversation._

_"Sairin, you're back!" Haku smiled._

_"Haku, that's not fair!" Sairin sulked almost immediately._

_He was a bit taken aback. "What isn't fair?"_

_"You've gotten prettier again," she eyed him critically. "Someday, you'll be the prettiest shinobi ever, and I'll still be a common shinobi."_

_"That's not true!" Haku thought that although Sairin wasn't extremely beautiful, she was relatively good looking. He knew of course that she would not be deterred from her opinion, so he changed the subject. "Oh, I have I something for you."_

_He presented her with a radiantly gleaming shuriken. It was transparent, and one could see just how pure and flawless it was. Sairin gasped, stunned by its glistening. It was molded into the shape of a star-flower (I sketched a picture of this, but now I run into the trouble of finding a proper term to describe it. Bear with me) and though clear, it also reflected every colour of the rainbow._

_"This was specially made by a renowned traveling weapon-maker," Haku explained. "I was given the task of supplying purified water and ice while she made it."_

_There was no need for words between good friends. Sairin just smiled as she embraced Haku, her eyes reflecting just as many colors as the shuriken.

* * *

_

"Earth to Uchiha Satomi…" Naruto dangled a piece of fruit in front of Sairin's face.

"Eek!" Sairin yelped. "You didn't have to do that."

"What could I have done? You didn't pay any attention even when I hit you…"

"Naruto," Sairin silenced him. "What happened to Zabuza-san and Haku-chan afterwards? Were the honored?"

"Yeah! Yeah!" Naruto said in his usual hyper conduct. "We made two crosses where they were buried. We gave them each a ring of flowers. Haku's scarf was wrapped around his cross, and Zabuza's sword was stuck into the earth near his body."

"I see…"

* * *

Sairin couldn't help but mourn for her fallen friends. She held a diamond kunai in her hand. It had been intended as a gift for Haku when they next met. She had planned to make a diamond blade for Zabuza when her fire mastery improved. She made poor use of the month of rest in bereavement. She was so preoccupied that Neji was able to sneak up on her and pin her down without any effort.

"Unh…" Sairin reacted to hitting the floor.

Neither one spoke for a moment. Sairin was concerned only about how careless of a friend she was to Zabuza and Haku, while Neji waited to see her panic. Sairin did not reveal that she was in any way distressed about being pinned to the floor by a boy who had marked her as an enemy, so he spoke.

"How can you protect the main family so?" Sairin did not immediately respond, so he continued. "You are an extended Uchiha. Surely you must resent the main Uchiha family. How can you not grasp my situation!"

"I do know your feelings," Sairin answered, though with minimum effort. "The main Uchiha family was not terrible to me. Itachi-sama and Sasuke-chan were my very best friends. Mr. Fugaku was civil with me for the most part. Ms. Mikoto became overly flattering to me when I was engaged to Itachi. At least, they did not treat me poorly the way other extended Uchiha and outsiders did. In fact, the main Uchiha family was the closest family I ever had before I lost my memory that day…"

"Well, you sure had it well," Neji muttered.

"Hinata-san and Hanabi-san don't hate you, Neji-kun."

"Sure they don't," Neji spat. "Hinata just sat there and watched me get a seal implanted into me at the age of four! Hanabi is the precious gemstone of the Hyuuga family, and looks at me with impudence just to stay in her father's favor!"

"Hinata is younger than you are," Sairin reflected. "How could she have understood what was going on? I doubt Hanabi would be so rude. How old is she? She should be about seven or eight right now. Considering how you behave around the Hyuuga main family, she's probably just seeking to be neutral with you."

"You don't know anything!" he yelled.

"That's because we are different," Sairin voiced simply. "You are so close to being the Hyuuga heir, while for me; I was to be married to the Uchiha heir. Hinata has claim to the Hyuuga throne because she is the eldest child of your uncle. Hanabi has claim to the Hyuuga throne because Hinata is weak, and she is the promising younger child of your uncle. You have claim to the Hyuuga throne because you are the eldest of them all, and even Hanabi will not be at your level at age thirteen. For me, I could simply wait for my sixteenth birthday and be married to Itachi-sama. Then, I would be part of the main family. However, that does not feel like an achievement… It's not as though it's my skill that earned me that spot…"

Neji would not listen to reason. Thankfully, he released her and stormed off in the most graceful and elegant manner possible.

* * *

Sairin decided to experiment with flowers. She decided that since the encounter with the destroyed bodies of the Kusagakure genin, she had barely scratched the surface of grass abilities. Of course, merely learning about grasses and herbs did not appeal to her. Sairin sought to master a variety of flowers instead.

Sairin loved the gardens around Konohagakure. They were vast and lovely. Sairin began by picking the flowers. "These jasmines are so fragrant right now… Stargazers are always so pretty… The nadeshiko are so appealing this season…"

"Are you going to relax through ikebana?"

Sairin looked up to see Yamanaka Ino approaching her. "Well, I have always had an admiration for masters of ikebana. I heard you have talent in flower arrangement, Ino-san." That was partially true. It wasn't the reason Sairin was here today, but she did look up to ikebana masters.

Ino pushed her long blond hair out of her face and examined the flowers Sairin had picked. "No… The jasmine is fine, but the stargazers and the nadeshiko don't go together. Try this!" Ino took the stargazers and the nadeshiko out of Sairin's arms and gave her more jasmine. Then, Ino moved further and suddenly bent down. When Ino got up again, Sairin saw that she had picked three crisp iris flowers. Ino returned to Sairin and offered her the irises. "The jasmine should compliment the irises beautifully."

"Thank you, Ino-san," Sairin smiled timidly but candidly. "When you do something, you always have to do it perfectly. I have a long way to go when it comes to ikebana, but as long as you're helping me, I'll be fine right?"

"Of course!" Ino smiled back. _Why am I helping her? Sasuke-kun seems to like her a lot, so it would be best if I gave her adversity…_

Sairin realized once more just how accurate her words were. _It's not just about being a skilled ikebana master. If Ino-san had not come along and shown me which flowers go together, I probably will not be able to wield flowers correctly. If I chose flowers with clashing spirits, then my training will not get me anywhere.

* * *

_

The finals have begun. Sairin was given a special spot beside Mitarashi Anko for her assignment during the chuunin exams. She had no objection to this, as the jounin got the best seats. However, Sairin noted that while most of the candidates were present, Sasuke was nowhere to be found.

Mitarashi Anko noticed her concern, and smiled, "Don't worry. I'm sure Sasuke is fine. In fact, I trust that Kakashi is taking care of him."

"Yes, you're right," Sairin saw sense in that.

"Even if Sasuke is late, we can stall," Anko continued. "The match between Gaara and Sasuke is the most anticipated match. If Sasuke never shows, then another worthy fighter will take his place."

"Someone will replace Sasuke?" Sairin repeated incredulously. "Who?"

"You." Anko said so simply, while flicking Sairin's forehead (causing great waves of nostalgia drown Sairin).

Sairin watched the Hokage whisper to several of his jounin assistants. _I hope they don't disqualify Sasuke-kun. He had to work the hardest to get to the finals._ She saw the Yondaime Kazekage appear. _That's strange… Gaara's father's chakra feels different…_

Suddenly, a loud voice boomed over the speakers, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the chuunin selection exams! We will now start the main tournament matches between the eight participants who made it past the preliminaries!" Sairin had thought that the old Hokage could never behave like a hyper child. She was proved very wrong.

The first match, between Naruto and Neji, began. Sairin heard a man whisper to a young girl, "There isn't another who has received such thick Hyuuga blood. Watch closely, Hanabi."

The young girl answered dutifully, "Yes, Father."

The fight was surprisingly even. _Neji-kun may be arrogant and high minded all he likes about his own skills, but Naruto-kun cannot be overlooked. Naruto-kun can tap into the chakra of the Kyuubi, and he has a knack for making comebacks._

Sairin observed how intelligent they were despite both being arrogant fools (in her opinion). Naruto had used his beloved Kage Bunshin no Jutsu technique and allowed one clone to appear to be the fearful real body. Neji fell for it, allowing two other clones to gang up on him. Neji wasn't out of ideas, however, and used his Hakkeshou Kaiten ability to deflect both attacks.

The Hakkeshou Kaiten astounded Sairin. It was a more perfected version of the defense Kimimaro had helped her attain. Since Sairin's blood had not given her steel bones, Kimimaro devised a plan to give her a defensive technique. He told her to surround herself with chakra and from there, spin the opponents off. Neji, with his mastered Juuken style, was able to release more chakra from every chakra opening.

"Father," Sairin heard Hanabi say. "Isn't that your technique?"

"Kaiten is the Hyuuga main family's special technique. It's supposed to be an exclusive move passed down only to the heirs of the Hyuuga clan." _That Neji should be able to learn it himself makes him a true prodigy._

Upon hearing Hyuuga Hiashi's words, Sairin laughed bitterly. _It may have been exclusive before. Certainly with both a Hyuuga branch member and an outsider like me wielding it now, it isn't as special as it was._

Neji's inborn genius was commendable, albeit his personality left a lot to be desired. He stood at the center of his Hakke. It was a skill that rendered Sairin speechless. She could never understand what each symbol in surrounding the yin-yang orb meant. Neji didn't give anyone a chance to decode it.

"Juuken-ryu: Rokujuuyon Shou!" Neji called. "Hakke two hands! Four hands! Eight hands! Sixteen hands! Thirty two hands! Sixty four hands!"

"What natural talent for such amazing blood of the Hyuuga to be flowing within a child who will never become the heir…" Hiashi murmured.

Hyuuga Hiashi was the elder twin brother of Neji's father. Sairin realized that Hiashi would have willingly traded both his daughters to be Neji's father. _The villagers say that Hiashi-sama was older than Hizashi-sama by mere minutes._

The crowd gasped then. Sairin returned her vision to the match. Naruto, who had been sealed up in 126 chakra openings, was still fighting to stand up. Words were exchanged, and then Neji unfastened his Konoha forehead protector.

The entire audience could hear Naruto yell angrily to the Hyuuga law-writers, "Why do you need that stupid cursed seal mark to distinguish the main and branch families!"

"It isn't just a decoration…" Neji refused to yell this time, tinted with much sadness and dignity. "With one secret hand seal, the branch family member's mind can be easily destroyed. Death is no more difficult to cause. This curse will only disappear after death, sealing up the Byakugan ability with it. The Hyuuga clan is a clan of advanced blood. Those who seek its secrets are countless. With this seal, the branch family is allowed to live only for the sake of protecting the main family. No disobedience to the main family is tolerated. It's an effective system created to forever protect the advanced Byakugan ability of the Hyuuga."

Sairin couldn't help but feel deep sympathy for Neji. She knew quite a lot about the Hyuuga family and the tenseness between the main and branch families, but she never knew just how suppressed the main family was.

"Then, there was that incident," Neji continued, almost shakily. "My father was killed by the main family. See, one night, Hinata-sama was kidnapped by an intruder. Hiashi-sama quickly saved Hinata-sama and killed the intruder. It was dark, and the intruder wore a mask. Who do you think he was?"

Neji resentfully smirked. "He was the Cloud Country shinobi leader who had just signed the peace treaty with Konoha on the day of Hinata-sama's third birthday, on the day I got my cursed seal. It became clear that he had been after the Hyuuga clan secrets right from the start. The Cloud Country saw that their plan had failed, and demanded Konoha to make reparations for breaking the treaty. Konoha and Kumo argued endlessly and nearly went to war. However, Konoha wanted to avoid war at all costs and made a backdoor agreement with Kumo."

"The Cloud wanted the Hyuuga family's advanced blood and Byakugan. They demanded the corpse of Hiashi-sama. Konoha agreed to this."

Sairin heard Hanabi move and stare at her father.

"War was safely avoided," Neji said. "It was all because of my father who was killed by the main family as a substitute for Hiashi-sama's corpse. To escape this curse can only be done by death. They were twins, and their ability was virtually the same. Their fates were decided by who was born first."

They began to exchange blows again. Neji kept hitting Naruto across the arena. Naruto kept getting up. "There is no way in all seven hells that I'm losing to a coward who always blames destiny."

Neji only scoffed, "An ignorant brat like you shouldn't be lecturing me. People are born burdened with a curse they can not resist." A sudden pain flashed through Neji's eyes, but his Byakugan were pure as if nothing had happened a moment later.

_Neji, you must live. You are a man loved more by the Hyuuga ability than anyone else into this clan. I wish I could have born you into the main family._

"You could never understand what it's like to be burdened with something you can never get rid of!" Neji indicted.

_No, Neji-kun._ Sairin thought. _Naruto-kun does know that burden. It's not exactly the same, but he can't get rid of the image of a monster everyone has of him._

_We're free to go anywhere we want_

_We're free to do anything we want_

_Kitto jiyuu to no tatakai wa tsudzuite kun darou_

_(Surely the fight for freedom will continue)_

"Yeah, I can… and so what?" a bruised and bloody Naruto snapped. "Pft! Stop acting cool. You're not the only one that's special. Princess Satomi gave me some help here… I promise I'll buy you ramen for this later… Hinata suffered as much as you did! She is a member of the main family, but she was never acknowledged! She did her best to change herself even as she was coughing up blood fighting you!" Naruto meant to show Neji how wrong he was, but Naruto also realized that Sairin was right about Sasuke. Naruto gained new confidence (not that he needed it) and yelled, "You're the same! The branch family is supposed to protect the main family, yet by doing that to Hinata… You are trying your hardest to defy and challenge destiny!"

Neji knew somewhere deep inside that Naruto was right. However, he refused to show it. As he watched Naruto choke up more blood, he stated, "I have sealed your sixty four chakra opening points. How will you fight? You and Hinata-sama are the same."

"Shut up!" Naruto bellowed. "Stop using the Byakugan to act as though you know everyone's destiny!" Neji said something here, but only Naruto could hear. "Yeah! I'm without doubt going to beat you and prove my words!"

As Naruto began doing hand seals, Neji asked, "Can I ask you one thing? Why do you go against your fate like that?"

"I was once called a loser…" Naruto said as he made a Tiger hand seal. In his anger, he drew out the Kyuubi chakra despite the fact that Neji had sealed his chakra openings.

Naruto's speed was greatly enhanced with the Kyuubi's power. Neji protected himself with Kaiten right before the two boys collided.

When the smoke had cleared, it appeared that Neji was the only one still standing. Of course, Naruto always made a comeback. Naruto appeared out of the earth and knocked Neji away. Meanwhile, the "unconscious Naruto" clone disappeared.

"Ugh… I was careless to forget about your main ninjutsu…"

"I failed the academy graduation test three times… Unfortunately for me, the ninjutsu portion of the final was always my weakest ninjutsu. The Bunshin no Jutsu was my worst technique. Don't whine about how destiny can't be changed and all that crap, since you're not a loser like me…"

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!" the referee Shiranui Genma ruled. As Naruto and his friends celebrated and the crowd cheered, Shiranui said to Neji, "Even a caged bird with enough intelligence will try to open the cage, never letting go of its desire to fly freely in the vast skies. This time you have lost, but the will not always be the case."

The medical team brought Neji away. After several minutes, Sairin heard Hiashi get up. He left without saying a word to Hanabi, but they suspected that Hiashi would be off to see Neji.

Back at the arena, the roar was deafening. Everyone was excited for the next match. However, Sasuke was still missing. Whatever the leaders discussed, it seemed that they favored Sasuke.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Shiranui shouted. "One competitor for the next match has not yet arrived. We have decided to push his match to the very end!"

The next match would have been between Shino and Kankuro. It would have been a fine match had Kankuro not decided to forfeit.

Temari glared at her brother but made an expression as if she knew his decision was correct. She opened her fan and glided down to the arena. Seeing how impatient the opponent was, Naruto gave Shikamaru a slap on the back telling him to "Go for it!" as Shikamaru fell down from to the ground from approximately a third story level.

Temari, fervent as she is, attacked Shikamaru before the referee called start. Shikamaru had still been lying on the ground, most likely thinking about quitting. When she attacked, he escaped even though he wanted nothing more than to sit around.

"I don't really care about becoming a chuunin, but I'm a guy, and I refuse to lose to a girl!" With that, the fight was set on fire. Shikamaru evaded Temari's attacks and hid in the trees. Temari would not be lured into the shadow, and used her wind techniques to try to knock him out. When Shikamaru stretched his shadow, Temari marked the limit.

The two other Konoha rookie genin teachers were conversing in front of Sairin. When the man mentioned that Shikamaru was a genius with an IQ over 200 who just happened to be excessively slothful, Sairin observed the fight even more closely.

After a long period of idleness and dodging, Shikamaru sent his shadow out again. His shadow went past the point Temari had marked earlier. Shikamaru had been biding his time so that his shadow would become longer. While Temari calculated the new limit of Shikamaru's shadow, Shikamaru turned his clothes into a parachute and floated it over to her weighed down by his Konoha forehead protector and a kunai. Since his bloated shirt made a giant shadow, Shikamaru's own shadow could now be extended further. He would have trapped Temari if Kankuro had not warned her.

Shikamaru tried a diversion next. Temari saw through it and avoided his shadow. Temari sought to quickly end the fight, and set her fan in between herself and Shikamaru so that she could make clones. That was when Shikamaru trapped her. He sent his shadow into the hole and through the tunnel that was made in the ground at the end of Naruto and Neji's fight. It came out the other hole – which was in turn right behind Temari.

Sairin was awed. _Shikamaru may be a complete lazy ass but he really is a military genius. Each one of his moves could have been successful, but if they weren't, they became perfect lead-up to the next._

The crowd waited with silent anticipation as Shikamaru and Temari walked towards each other. Shikamaru raised his hand and said, "That's it. I forfeit."

Sairin nearly fell out of her chair. _Maybe I should rephrase my opinion. That guy may be a military genius, but he really is a complete lazy ass._

"What?" Temari was stunned.

"I've used up most of my chakra," Shikamaru explained. "I could hold you for, say, ten more seconds. I already planned my next few attacks, but I'm out of energy. It was a good fight, considering you're a girl… but it's really a pain to put so much effort into a fight that doesn't really matter."

Sairin heard the jounin whisper among themselves. Sairin knew they were putting much thought into Shikamaru's good and bad qualities. _He's a genius, and his lethargy wouldn't be a big problem if he had a squad to complete a mission with. He isn't very motivated to be anything though. I guess that helps him maintain composure and think straight. If this were Sasuke or Naruto or someone, they would probably have to fight a much more difficult battle._

Meanwhile, the crowd was getting restless again. It was time for Gaara's match against Sasuke. It could be pushed back no further.

Shiranui announced, "If the competitor Uchiha Sasuke does not show up in the next ten minutes, Sabaku no Gaara will be facing Uchiha Satomi instead!"

The spectators were astounded for yet another time this day. Since when was there another surviving Uchiha?

Sairin had other problems. "Aaaaaaah! Who told that guy my family name!" She marched up to the edge of the level and yelled, "Shiranui! When this chuunin exam is over we're going to have a talk about when to keep your mouth shut!"

To which Shiranui Genma yelled back, "You didn't seem to mind when Hyuuga Neji shouted it across the hallways!"

Sairin was about to scream that the situation was different then, but knew she wouldn't be able to win here. She trudged off fuming at both herself and Genma. Mitarashi told a wide-eyed Hanabi, "It's okay, just let her vent. She won't kill you."

Gaara took this news with little reaction. "Sasuke will come. I didn't mind fighting the Shadow Princess earlier, but now that she seems to be an Uchiha as well… I want to fight her!"

The minutes ticked by. Nine minutes passed. Then, half a minute passed. A leaf billowed in the air. Suddenly, a whirlwind formed and consisted of more leaves. It was recognized as a variation of the Shunshin no Jutsu. The rage left Sairin and a smile formed on her face as she saw the boy who would have been her brother-in-law.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** The song I used during the fight between Neji and Naruto is a stanza of Hamasaki Ayumi's song "Heartplace".

Again, my wish is to portray a normal girl's feelings, even if she seems to be blessed with more than many others are given.


	5. 5 Tainted Innocence

**Warning:** I have none at the moment. I feel incomplete without putting this here, though. I know! Let me warn you about spoilers up through the chuunin exam!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**Pairings:** Itachi/Sairin, one-sided Sasuke/Sairin, Anko/Sairin and Ino/Sairin friendships

* * *

The tall silver-haired man who had not forgotten his promise to enter Sairin into the chuunin exams now stood, unforgivably late, in front of hundreds, saying, "Sorry we're late." 

"No problem," Shiranui drawled. "You two made it just in time. Another fifteen seconds and the match would have been given to the Uchiha girl." Turning to Sasuke, he said, "Please confirm your name."

"I am Uchiha Sasuke."

* * *

Sairin hopped down to meet her friend. She heard the last words of Naruto: "I want to fight you too!" 

She smiled at this new friendship Sasuke had and said, "Sasuke-chan, I would be insulting you if I was ever worried about you this past month, but I thought you would never show up!"

"Sasuke-chan?" Sasuke wondered. "Does this mean you are recovering?"

Sairin bowed her head slightly. "There are still a lot of gaps, but I have had a number of my memories restored. I will have to tell you about some of them…"

"Excuse me…" Shiranui approached Sairin cautiously, fearing that some of the anger from before had not yet dissipated. "The fight is about to begin, so you can't stay much longer."

"I understand," Sairin smiled at him, hoping that he wouldn't keep thinking of her as a monster with anger management issues.

Gaara appeared beside them. "Princess, I will kill you too… I will feed Sasuke's delectable blood to you, Mother… and then I will give you the equally luscious blood of the Shadow Princess…"

Sairin was a bit alarmed at Gaara's words, but she dismissed it as a side effect of being host to Shukaku. She leapt up the wall directly not bothering to take the stairs. Nor did she want to appear unladylike by jumping straight from the ground to her seat beside Mitarashi Anko. Sairin had practiced walking up waterfalls for the longest time in Takigakure. It quite literally took forever and a day for Sairin's chakra control to reach an acceptable level to permit walking up a waterfall.

When she took her seat by her "commander", Mitarashi said, "You are not responsible for what Sasuke went through in the second test." Sairin nodded. Anko knew Sairin didn't take any of her words to heart.

Despite the fact that Sairin was concerned about Sasuke more than she was concerned about anyone else in the world, she couldn't bring herself to focus on the match. It practically gave her a heart attack to watch the bout. Even though she felt guilty about not paying attention to her clansman when he had only just returned from training, Sairin couldn't help not wanting to see Sasuke get hurt…

* * *

_A young Sairin of about six years stepped barefoot through the grassy meadows. The full moon's white light caused the pale face to glow. The deep blue eyes were not as obvious under the luminescence of the moon, but fear could definitely be seen within them. She carefully made her way to a haven she knew as home more than the residence of her parents._

_Despite the occupants being elite shinobi, none of them heard Sairin enter the garden or the house. She crept past several bedrooms. When she reached the very last one, she slid the door open to enter the largest room of all. Sairin knelt on the tatami mat by the mat and blankets on the floor. It was almost impossible to see the slender figure sleeping inside the blankets._

_Sairin gazed at the boy dreamily. The fear in her eyes dispersed into nothingness as she watched him sleep. The pastel light from the moon hit the pale skinned boy, and made him appear to be an angel. Sairin couldn't help but extend her soft willowy fingers out and stroked his face lightly. Gradually, she laid her head on the edge of the mat cushioned by swan feather and satin blankets and fell asleep._

_When she woke up, Sairin was the one sleeping inside the blankets, and Itachi was nowhere to be seen. He had left a neatly written note reading, "You'll get sick if you sleep on the floor. Wake me up next time and I'll go sleep with Sasuke."

* * *

_

_Itachi-sama was nowhere to be found. That's how he always was. He would treat us kindly, but his heart was somewhere else._ Sairin blinked. Gaara was nowhere to be seen. A closer deduction told one that Gaara was within the dome of sand that had appeared during her trance. Sasuke standing distantly, moving faster than she had ever seen him move and his chakra was readily visible.

_It couldn't be Raikiri, could it? Kakashi, you outdid yourself this time… Sasuke-chan, you're still as driven to get strong as you were._

Sasuke ran – no, surpassed sound – towards the dome. Sairin saw that Sasuke's energy had not been spent in vain – there was a hole where there should have been sand. Suddenly screams could be heard from within the dome, and the sand snaked around Sasuke's arms. The dome collapsed back into the usual form of Gaara with his gourd, surrounding by a bit of sand. Gaara had taken a wound and was clutching his left arm.

Out of the blue, Sairin saw feathers come out of the sky. _What in all seven hells is going on? This isn't natural… Is this a genjutsu?_ Sairin made the hand seal for Tiger and quietly said, "Kai!"

Sairin saw Anbu members flash here and there, and decided she had to do something, considering the fact that she had been given a special duty, and both Gaara and Sasuke were unaffected by the genjutsu. She saw a commotion coming from the central watchtower and raced to that spot. Before she could do anything besides see the Kazekage holding a kunai to the Hokage's neck, she saw four elite Oto shinobi get into formation and call, "Shi Shi Enjin!"

A barrier of violet flames appeared, and all the advancing Anbu members were repelled and hit with flame. Sairin eyed the situation. The Hokage was being held prisoner within the barrier. The Kazekage was the one holding him prisoner. _That's not right. Sunagakure is a proud nation, but it is not a war-mongering nation. Even though that man ruined Gaara's life, the Kazekage is not this type of man… For sure, he was never this powerful. When I met him a that time, he certainly was skilled, but he did not emit such an amazing chakra. In fact, it feels almost like that time in the forest… Orochimaru! Has he killed the Kazekage? It's not outside the realm of possibility, but why would he go after Sunagakure?_ The four barrier specialists holding the barrier were all Oto shinobi under the control of Orochimaru. _If this is the situation, then Orochimaru would not use a barrier breakable from the outside. It would have to be broken by the Hokage. Still, I did not sense that great a power stemming from those shinobi. The Hokage would have no trouble killing them unless they create an additional barrier inside to protect themselves…_

The invasion had begun. Several jounin were fighting off giant snakes. Others were pushing off reinforcements from Otogakure and Sunagakure. Many within were engaged with traitors who had slipped into the chuunin exams.

_They have a handle on the snakes. I can't do anything about Orochimaru. I don't feel as though fighting the random Sunagakure shinobi who have appeared is my best use. Think, Sairin…_ Sairin could not figure out what was missing. _I am a shinobi. I have to fulfill my own part._

Sairin felt a rapidly approaching chakra. She performed the hand seals: Ram, Tiger, Boar, Bird, and Dragon. _This is for you, Haku-chan. This is the jutsu I mastered after the last time I saw you. _She spun around and mentally commanded, _Kokuryuu Boufuusetsu!_

The Sand shinobi who had been preparing to attack her had been handpicked for the job. However, words could not describe his surprise when Sairin unleashed an ethereal dragon of ice on him. It wasn't his fault, really. Even though the dragon looked as though it might have been made of fire (which wasn't that reassuring either), it was an ice element technique. Konohagakure did not have many ice users outside the Uchiha clan and Hatake Kakashi. The little girl certainly was no Kakashi, and until recently, there were no remaining Uchiha aside from Itachi and Sasuke.

Sairin's dragon had no trouble trapping that shinobi and a number of other shinobi along the way in a blizzard of freezing chakra before dropping their bodies one kilometer from ground level.

Mitarashi Anko landed beside her. "Overkill, much?"

"I must contribute in my own way," Sairin avowed.

"Sairin, you are a perfect shinobi for this mission," Anko said in an undertone. "You are young and will be underestimated so drastically that it doesn't seem possible. You will be able to slip out of Konoha."

"I do not want to escape. I want to help."

"Of course, Sairin," Anko smirked, seeing a bit of herself in the Uchiha. "I need you to slip out and chase Gaara and Sasuke. You can let Gaara go, because he is no longer a threat to us. Gaara's teacher has told the siblings to flee. However, Sasuke has gone after Gaara, and we want to make sure Sasuke doesn't end up with Orochimaru."

"I understand," Sairin promised, as she performed Houmatsu Shuriken no Jutsu at an incoming foe. It, as its name implies, consisted of throwing shuriken which were fused with the ability to hide within froth, inject air bubbles, or even become foam so that the opponent cannot remove the shuriken and throw it back at Sairin.

* * *

Sairin scanned the forest, jumping at a moderate pace. _Mitarashi-san told me to do this job because I was small and likely to survive, but I have met with no opposition. Wait… there's been bloodshed up ahead!_

She came upon nine dead Oto shinobi. A weary Shikamaru sat on the ground beside a smiling Asuma who was about to leave. Sairin hurried in the direction they pointed her in.

From there, she passed a fight between Aburame Shino and Kankuro. _I should help, but now, I'm officially on a mission. Besides, Shino-kun is very skilled._

Sairin increased her speed. _I don't need to fight anyone. I just need to retrieve Sasuke safely._ The leaves rustled louder than they naturally would from the summer wind, exposing her position very obviously, but Sairin raced through the forest with little care.

An intense amount of chakra exploded. It didn't go "boom" or anything. Rather, a great chakra was released. _This new chakra feels so much more sinister. It replaced a chakra which was already great in its own right, but one that seemed to always be in disarray. Does this mean Gaara's Shukaku has come out?_

Deafening roars could be heard throughout the forest. First, there came a cry of agony. Not long after came a thunderous growl, which despite it being a snarl, quite clearly hid nothing, "Are you afraid of me, Uchiha Sasuke!"

There was a clash of chakra. Sairin dashed into a dell where the trees were roughly demolished. She set her eyes on a half-transformed Gaara, who of course looked ridiculous as the Shukaku half weighed down the anorexic form of the human Gaara.

Sairin barely had time to check her surroundings before jumping off to a safer spot. She found herself right beside a cowering Temari. Sairin paid the older girl no attention, and didn't even realize she was there until she uttered in disbelief, "That's impossible… That boy just counter-transformed Gaara!"

Sairin panicked as she searched for Sasuke. She was so tense, her Sharingan went right over Sasuke three times before she registered that he was there.

"The just found the answer to why I am so enlivened!" the Shukaku called for the entire world to hear. It's because of this pain… Defeating someone strong enough to hurt me and absolutely destroying him gives me a greater sense of existence!" Gaara seemed more deranged then ever, though it came more from the unhinged Shukaku than from Gaara's lonely childhood. "I want more!" The Shukaku's tail emerged, and Gaara's chakra multiplied.

Sairin had studied about the Shukaku. She had inquired Chiyo about it, and Chiyo had taught her everything. However, coming face to face with the real thing was an entirely different experience. _If his power increases every time more of the Shukaku comes out, Gaara will become unreal by the time he is fully transformed._

The Shukaku needlessly yelled, "Here I come!" Fast as he was, it wasn't particularly difficult to see an enormous monster fused with a boy.

Sairin's Mangekyou Sharingan read Shukaku's movements thoroughly. Out of impulse, she soared over to Sasuke and called, "Tsuyu!" A summer rain fell, and the air was filled with the scent of plum. _Thank God for the timing. If it were any other season, I don't think Tsuyu would be as effective._ Each rain drop, filled with Sairin's chakra, dissolved into the Sand demon that was Gaara. The Shukaku writhed in agony, even though it was far from truly hurt.

Sasuke was soaked in the rain too, but he was not Sairin's target, and so the rain did not soak into his skin. He felt a conflict arise within himself: on one hand, he was glad that Sairin cared enough about him to help; on the other hand, he wanted to fight Gaara by himself.

"Princess Sairin…" Sasuke pleaded gently. "Please stay in a safe area. I will fight Gaara. I will defeat Gaara. There is no need for you to be involved."

Sairin, though only twelve and a half, was not dense. She realized that Sasuke was right. She had only hindered Sasuke in his quest for power by not having faith in him and stepping in.

Right before she was about to move away, Sasuke held her back. "Please watch me, Princess. I will show you how much I have improved."

_You are not inferior to Itachi and me. You never were._ Sairin obliged, never mind the fact that she should have given her friend a lecture on self-image issues. She stood on a leafy apple tree and observed the battle.

Sasuke was past his body's limit for Raikiri. Sairin could feel Sasuke's lack of chakra. _He wasn't so low on chakra when he left the stadium. Did he use Raikiri again?_ The sensible Sasuke resorted to his other specialized technique – the Goukakyuu no Jutsu. Unfortunately, for all the logic Sasuke put into his strategy, he forgot that fire had little effect on sand. That was when his judgment died.

Sasuke was nearly out of chakra, but he still prepared for Raikiri. _No, I can't interfere. I'll only be getting in the way. But what if he drains all his chakra? Sasuke-chan could die!_ Sairin watched in horror as Shukaku's taunts drove Sasuke to further imprudence.

"You're too soft," Shukaku goaded. "Your hatred isn't strong enough. The power of hate is the power to kill. The power to kill is the power of vengeance. Your hatred is weaker than mine! Do you understand what that signifies? You are weaker than I am!"

In a moment of intense abhorrence, Sasuke's Raikiri came out strong and then diminished. That didn't stop the collision between the two boys. Shukaku was damaged from the Raikiri, but he was still going strong. When Sasuke turned around, Sairin was horrified to see that the Cursed Seal had activated. Sasuke instantly fell to the ground from his handicap. However, Shukaku wasn't an honorable warrior, and took any opportunity it was offered.

Sairin couldn't bring herself to move, even though Sasuke was in danger. Her torn heart wanted nothing more than to satisfy Sasuke's every whim, but she didn't want it to be at the cost of his life. Sairin jumped to defend Sasuke, but then told herself, _what am I doing? This is Sasuke-chan's fight!_

She flipped backwards and she landed six meters to the right of Sasuke. _I can't let Sasuke-chan get hurt like this. I can't take his fight away from him, either._ Sairin stood there absentmindedly like a twig that just happened to be laying there in the forest.

Sairin's indecisiveness would have cost Sasuke his life if Naruto hadn't kicked Shukaku away. Sairin turned to see that Sakura had caught up as well. Naruto justly gave Sairin a lecture, "What in all seven hells are you doing? Why didn't you move? Couldn't you see that Sasuke was down? What type of Uchiha are you!"

"I'm sorry," Sairin said mildly, sounding just like Hinata usually did. "I couldn't step in. Sasuke asked me to remain neutral in this."

"Well, Sasuke is an idiot!" Naruto yelled. "You shouldn't listen to him no matter what he says!" Then, he turned to Sakura, "Say, Sakura-chan, who is that?" He pointed to the half-transformed Shukaku.

A dog wearing a Konoha forehead protector, whom Sairin had not noticed, answered Naruto, "That is the one named Gaara. Anyway, I'm not exactly a fighter."

"You're the one I failed to kill that other day in the hospital…" Shukaku lunged as Naruto shouted, "Get away, everyone! We have to escape!" Of course, it turned out that his aim was Sasuke and not Naruto.

Sakura was just in time to block the attack from getting Sasuke, but she ended up pinned to a tree by Shukaku. Sakura fainted on the spot.

_Sakura helped Sasuke even though he wouldn't have wanted it_, Sairin cogitated surprised. _She was in no condition to face Shukaku. He would hate her for doing it. But she did it anyway. Is Sakura a stronger person than I?_

Gaara clutched his head, struggling. "Ugh… why?" He stood there without speaking a word, only uttering an occasional groan. Then, as suddenly as he had fallen into an agonizing unforgotten memory, he returned. "Weren't you going to retreat?" Shukaku asked Naruto. "What do those two mean to you? I don't need to ask the Shadow Princess this, because I already know her…"

"They are my friends!" Naruto proclaimed with every ounce of his soul affirming his feelings. Leave them alone or I'll kick your ass!"

Gaara appeared to only become angrier, but with his fury came his wrath. His sand applied more pressure onto Sakura's trapped body. As she screamed subconsciously, Shukaku beckoned to Naruto, "Weren't you going to kick my ass about now?"

"Bring it on!" Naruto yelled.

Shukaku easily brushed Naruto aside. Naruto picked himself up and performed Kuchiyose no Jutsu. Whatever Naruto was expecting, it certainly wasn't what he got – a tiny insolent frog. Despite Naruto's failed jutsu, Shukaku wasn't backing off. He transformed even further, until everything from the waist up was a monster. Shukaku attacked Naruto with Sand Shuriken, which knocked him back into a tree.

The fight continued. Naruto would try something, and then get knocked back. However, Sairin noticed Naruto's chakra was not ebbing away as quickly as that of most shinobi. _No doubt having a demon sealed within you is useful._ As the fight continued, Sairin paid careful attention to their styles. The most notable technique was Gaara's Magen Sajin Daitoppa. _Damn… Gaara's mastery wouldn't be so much higher than mine if he didn't have Shukaku. Of course, without Shukaku, he probably would have led a normal life, and not be so driven to become strong. Without Shukaku, Gaara might have grown into a shinobi weaker than I am._

Suddenly, Sasuke's breathing changed from labored to a struggle which he was losing. All of Sairin's attention left the fight and went to Sasuke. She knelt beside him and attempted medical jutsu. "Sasuke-chan, I'm so sorry I didn't spend more time learning medical jutsu. Chiyo-baa-sama would have been an excellent teacher, but we never expected to face something so serious. We believed that all I needed were mastery of sand and a couple of basic medical jutsu." Sasuke didn't answer. He couldn't answer. "Sasuke-chan, I'll get you tomatoes, but only if you live!" Sairin pleaded desperately. "I'll get you a garden of tomatoes! No, I will get you a farm of tomatoes!"

Sasuke weakly and deliriously asked, "Am I in heaven yet, Princess?"

"Don't speak, Sasuke-chan!" Sairin commanded, at a loss for what to do.

Unexpectedly, an explosion could be heard. That explosion would have been ignored, too, if Naruto had not flown directly onto Sasuke. Naruto immediately got off upon hearing Sasuke's shallow breaths.

It seemed that the pain was not meaningless, however. Sasuke recovered his consciousness and scoffed, "You're being your old self again. After all that effort, you only hit him once. You have to think deeper. I can't bail you out this time like I did in Nami, you loser. I mean, Sairin could, but this is my fight. Thief…"

"Shut up!" Naruto stammered. "You're annoying!"

"Naruto!" Sasuke gasped. "You must take Sakura to a safer place. I know you can do it. After you save her, just run away as far as possible. I can at least hold him for a little while. I once lost everything… I don't want to watch my comrades die again…"

The urged to spill out the suffering caused by the return of memories she had once craved nearly overwhelmed Sairin. She bit her lip to keep the tears from pouring out. _This is all my fault. Sasuke-chan and Itachi-sama are eternally scarred because of me._

"I understand…" Naruto said distantly. "It's true. I thought he and I were the same. We had the same solitary past… In his solitude, he fought only for himself. That's why I thought he was strong. However, true strength doesn't come from fighting for oneself. It's only when there is something special to protect. That's when you can become truly powerful!"

_Haku… _A knife of ice plunged into Sairin's heart.

"I must protect them no matter what!" Naruto roared as he drew out vast chakra. He performed his maximum Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – when he creates a thousand clones. Naruto went a bit trigger-happy with his clones all attacking at once, but considering the fact that his enemy was a Shukaku, Naruto did the right thing.

When the smoke cleared, the full Shukaku came out, complete with markings. Shukaku made to perform Sabaku no Sousou, but Naruto hit him first with Kuchiyose no Jutsu. This time, Naruto successfully summoned an enormous frog.

Of course, this frog was no different from the last. He held the same contempt for Naruto. "I said you could be my underling, but we haven't exchanged sakazuki yet."

"That's ridiculous! I'm not twenty yet!"

The little frog from earlier jumped onto Naruto's head. "You should help him, father. This brat saved my life."

"Fine," the unwilling master frog agreed.

From there, Sairin was completely distracted. Even though Gamabunta and Shukaku nearly destroyed the landscape, Sairin was hardly aware of what went on. Pakkun, the dog, Temari, and Sasuke were all held to the spot due to the circumstances, but Sairin was held to the spot because her mind reminisced her days with Haku. It stormed sand, wind, and water, but Sairin gave not a single glance. Naruto transformed into Kyuubi in order to wake Gaara up, but Sairin did not take in any of the strategy. Naruto drew out the real Kyuubi's chakra and bashed his head into Gaara's but Sairin didn't know it happened. Shukaku's hold on Sakura ended and Sasuke put Sakura under Pakkun's care, but Sairin didn't notice.

Sairin's reminiscence only came to an end when a wounded Gaara shouted, "My existence will never be extinguished… It won't be extinguished! I will not let my existence simply disappear as if it never was!"

Despite his talk, Gaara was out of chakra and unable to move. Sairin looked on sadly as Naruto inched closer, nearly out of chakra as well. Even though his body was exhausted, Naruto struggled to reach out to Gaara.

"Don't come any closer to me!" Gaara commanded in panic.

"The pain of solitude is not an easy one to bear…" Naruto choked out. Sairin saw that the cocky boy had tears sliding down his face. "Why is it that I can understand your feelings and your pain?"

_That would be because we have all felt the pain of being alone…_ Sairin wished she could voice her feelings as well as other people did. _Why does it seem that all of the children are suffering more than the adults? What have we done to deserve so much sorrow at so young an age?_

"But now, I have many people who are important to me…" Naruto progressed, "and I won't let you hurt my comrades. Even if someone like you tries to kill them, I will stop you."

"Why do you go so far for the well-being of others?" Gaara weakly whispered.

"They saved me from the hell of eternal solitude," Naruto answered, without any hesitation even though he was worn out. "They acknowledged my existence, so they are essential people to me."

"Love…" Gaara barely breathed out.

Sairin felt her body move on its own accord. She walked right in between Naruto and Gaara, and hoped that she did the right thing. "No one is alone anymore, right? We all used to be solitary. We may feel alone in the future… but we'll never really be alone anymore, will we?" _It's true… I was all alone… The Konoha Entertainment League executive was only interested in me because I was a potential moneymaker, but if he hadn't accepted me, I would never have survived. Then, I met Zabuza-san and Haku-chan. They're both gone now, but we're all still friends. Chiyo-baa-sama never once questioned my intentions, and taught me even though I was a foreigner with no memories to speak of. I've remembered my past with Itachi-sama and Sasuke-chan. I have yet to meet Itachi-sama in person now, but Sasuke-chan has been wonderful to me. Mitarashi-san has given me a special position to help her, and she has treated me as a younger sister during the last month. Ino-san has been really helpful in teaching me ikebana. I have friends…_

_Naruto, you have found friends in Sasuke-chan and Sakura-san. Even though you two don't act like it, you're close to Kakashi-sensei too. I even heard that you have an extremely close mentor named Umino Iruka._ Sairin smiled, remembering her teacher Chiyo. _Gaara… I don't know what to say about you. Certainly I don't think you are a monster. You are a bit reckless in how often you use your abilities, and you don't behave in a way to boost your image, but I've always respected you…_

"That's enough," Sasuke landed beside Naruto. "You should rest. Sakura is perfectly fine now."

Right then, Kankurou and Temari appeared. Sairin felt the strain in Sasuke's body and instantly stepped in front of him, preparing for any attack. However, none of this was necessary. Gaara had only enough energy left to murmur to his siblings, "It is over." Temari and Kankurou picked him up and left without a word.

* * *

Two days later, Konoha held a memorial for the fallen Sandaime Hokage. He had lost his life in his fight against Orochimaru, but he had managed to force him to retreat. All the people in Konoha, shinobi or otherwise, would attend this service to pay their respects for the former Hokage. 

Before the service, Sairin paid Mitarashi Anko a visit. There was still an hour until the memorial began, so Sairin went directly to the forest where Anko frequently trained. She was there, training as if someone had offered her the head of Orochimaru if she could reach Hokage level by midday.

"Mitarashi-san, do you have a moment to spare?" Sairin asked.

"Oh, Princess Sairin… I wasn't expecting you here. Weren't you going to go to the memorial?" Anko responded in her usual manner.

"There's no need for false cheer when you're around me…" Sairin told her. "It's not your fault Orochimaru killed the Hokage… We're all human…"

Anko managed a weak smile. "I suppose you're right… now, did you have something to ask me?"

"Um… yes… you see, during the invasion, all the shinobi of Konoha worked together to drive out the intruders," Sairin said. "Each family was represented as part of Konoha except the Uchiha. Itachi-sama is gone and Sasuke-chan was fighting Gaara, who had already pulled out of the invasion. I would have been the Uchiha clan's only representative, but I was mostly watching Sasuke-chan fight Gaara during the invasion. I only fought a little bit during the first few moments. I feel as though I've let the Uchiha down, and caused the Uchiha name to be viewed as weaker in Konoha."

"Didn't your dragon thing kill like twenty shinobi all at once?" Anko effortlessly recalled. "After that, you killed another guy with some exotic shuriken technique."

"Yes, but, I fought for less than five minutes!" Sairin protested. "The Uchiha clan should have contributed more to aid Konoha. The Sandaime must have found me a true liability."

"No…" Anko had been silent, allowing Sairin to give her full speech, but the last part she knew to be false. "The Sandaime blames himself for your suffering. You see, he told me during the final exams that a messenger had reported about a girl named Satomi. He dismissed it as a minor event which had nothing to do with the major event of the Uchiha massacre. If he had looked into it, he would have recognized you as the daughter of the Uchiha, and you would have flourished in Konoha."

Sairin smiled childishly. "Well… I can't say everything turned out worse because of the Hokage's decision. Still, I heard that the Hyuuga clan, a clan as esteemed as the Uchiha clan, has slain over a hundred invading Sunagakure and Otogakure shinobi!"

"Well, let's see here," Anko said slowly. "Nine traitors were placed in our midst during the chuunin exams. Then, there was Kabuto, the elite jounin. Then, there was Orochimaru himself, and his four barrier specialists. The two surviving Oto-nin were sacrificed to revive the Shodaime and Nidaime. A hundred Suna-nin reinforcements entered, and a couple giant serpents were unleashed. I _doubt_ the Hyuuga clan could have killed over a hundred shinobi, especially since many lived to retreat. Besides, even if they did, they are a clan of great numbers. The prestigious Uchiha clan is now a clan of three."

"Neji didn't forget to remind me of that yesterday," Sairin sulked. _Not only that, Neji also filled me in with details of the great fight between Orochimaru and the Hokage. So many amazing jutsu were used in that fight; I can't believe I wasn't there to copy every single one of them._

"If you were interested in the actual count, Hyuuga Neji didn't kill a single shinobi," Anko hoped that this would lighten Sairin's heart. "He was too injured from his fight with Naruto that getting in the way of a jounin would have been suicide. Hyuuga Hinata was unconscious for the most part. Hyuuga Hanabi did little more than hide and whisper to a non-Hyuuga jounin when she saw an enemy approach. On second thought, Hanabi was quite useful," Mitarashi added. Seeing Sairin's reaction, she continued, "But she didn't kill a single one of them! Hyuuga Hiashi took out twenty shinobi at most."

"I hope the Uchiha doesn't pale when set next to the Hyuuga…"

"Stop worrying!" Mitarashi commanded. "You weren't useless during the chaos. If anything, Konoha owes you a vast debt for what you went through the last four years."

* * *

A couple days later, Sairin was her usual not-happy-but-not-depressed self again. She had not, of course, bought the recovered Sasuke a tomato farm, but she did send him ten tomatoes for every single day he was in the hospital (Sasuke was told he could leave after the third day, but he begged to be allowed an extra day). Sairin managed to take him off the hands of the medical-nin by telling him she would buy him tomatoes every day if he wished. Sasuke left contented and inducted Sairin back into the Uchiha premises. 

One day, Sairin had just purchased a bag of ripe red tomatoes when she passed Kakashi standing in front of a dango shop. She noticed two shinobi wearing black cloaks embroidered with red clouds enjoying sake as she approached Kakashi, but she couldn't remember why the pattern was familiar.

"Good afternoon, Hatake-san," Sairin greeted the man (who was for once, not reading his Icha Icha books). "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, it's you, Princess Satomi." Kakashi didn't bother to properly greet the girl he addressed as 'princess'. "I'm meeting Sasuke here."

Sairin felt a gaze on her back, but she didn't turn to get a better look at the cloaked shinobi, for fear of offending an innocent bystander. "I see. It's very unusual for you to be the first to arrive. Are you sure you didn't mix up the location and that Sasuke hasn't been waiting for you at another dango store for two hours?"

Kakashi gave her a petulant expression. "I just love how you have such faith in my punctuality. Hey! You two look good together. Are you two going out?" he called to the nearing Asuma and Kurenai.

"Hey… are you getting some sweets here, too?" Asuma asked.

Kurenai frowned. "I thought you didn't like sweets."

"I'm here to pick up some other stuff… I'm also waiting for Sasuke," he explained. Of course, he got the same response from his two friends as he did from Sairin.

"It's highly unusual for you to be first to arrive, Kakashi."

When Sasuke arrived minutes later, he said the same thing, "It's highly unusual for you to be first to arrive, Kakashi. Hi, Princess Sai – um, I mean Princess Satomi," he caught his slip. Sasuke pointed to her bag, "Are those tomatoes for me?"

Sairin carefully watched the three jounin teachers' reactions to Sasuke's mistake as she handed the bag to Sasuke, "Yeah, it's a good thing I ran into Hatake-san here. If I didn't, I would have had to run all over town looking for you."

Sasuke gratefully accepted the bag, and then his eyes strayed to where the ninja wearing the cloaks had been. Sairin watched his face, wondering how he would react to the unusually dressed shinobi. She followed his gaze, only to find that the shinobi were both gone.

* * *

Sairin met Ino in the gardens regularly. Thanks to Ino, Sairin was able to use flowers in effective yet gracefully elegant ways. This time, however, Sairin wanted to seek personal advice from Ino. 

"Ino-san… people say that a woman is a flower in full bloom during her youth… is that correct?"

"Yes," Ino answered, sitting down by the plum blossom tree. "That refers to all youthful females from the age of twelve all the way through thirty."

"Does it?" Sairin questioned. "I am twelve and a half, but I feel as though I have already bloomed and withered. I am nothing but fallen petals now…"

"You're a perennial," Ino supplied. "You're the type to bloom and fall very often. You open your petals for a little bit and show everyone just how refined and beautiful you are, but then you retract for a little while, only to return even more radiant."

"Is that so?"

"You're just in one of your furled stages!" Ino optimistically declared.

Ino's strong-willed and confident personality never failed to inspire Sairin. Sairin smiled and was about to thank her for the advice when she sensed severe bloodshed. "What in all seven hells is going on?"

"What?" Ino asked.

"Stay here, Ino-san," Sairin ruled Ino as unfit for the situation. "I'll go check it out."

Sairin left a protesting Ino in search of the source of bloodshed. _I can not afford to let my newfound family's name be tarnished by my sloth. I will do my part as an official citizen of Konoha to protect the people here._ The race across Konoha should have been comforting, but Sairin only felt tense. _It's as if there's something I want to see, but I shouldn't see._

_It doesn't matter if I should or should not see this. I will protect this place and carve a beautiful future filled with hope for Sasuke-chan, and pray for forgiveness for my past sins._ Sairin took to the air and went directly to the riverside. She found Hatake Kakashi, accompanied by Asuma and Kurenai. _It must be serious if they have to see each other again in the same day._ Sairin discerned the two strangers wearing the black cloaks with the red clouds who opposed the three jounin. Both of them had their backs turned to Sairin.

It was then that Sairin remembered what was so familiar...

* * *

_Doushite sou yatte saigo no saigo made_

_Nee omoide dake wo oiteku no_

Sairin's gaze fell upon a stranger in the audience as she reached the heartfelt ending of the song. She had seen him before, dressed in black clothes decorated with clouds. He was always too far for her to perceive the colour of the clouds, but this time, he was close enough for her to see that he had stunning crimson eyes with black markings in the irises. Sairin blinked as she continued.

_Sayounara ne_

_Mou nidoto ha aenai basho he itta no ne_

_Eien no wakare no tsumetasa wo uke tomerarezu ni_

_Kikasete hoshikatta wo uso de kamawanai kara_

_Atashi wa anata ni tashika ni aisaretetatte_

_Tatta ichido de ii kara_

During the break between the stanzas, Sairin looked back at the man. His eyes were not red. They were black.

_Kore wa tada no yume no tsudzuki no monogatari de_

_Atashi ni wa mada me ga samete nai dake to itte…_

Sairin smiled as she bowed to the crowded audience. She felt that if she hadn't always marketed the show by using the reputation of Shadow Princess to lure people there and if she had not signed with a renowned company, it would never be so successful. Sairin scanned the crowd for the cloaked man, but he was gone. Sairin found it odd that he had been to every single one of her performances. Every single time, the manager of the show had given Sairin a bonus gift which he or she said came from a man dressed peculiarly in a black cloak. Sairin shrugged it off and continued with the next song.

* * *

_This man was my top patron!_ Sairin realized. _I was successful because I could, as Shadow Princess, generate a lot of publicity by shouting out that if the authorities wanted to catch me, they should go to the arena I would perform in. All the local youth would run to the arena and preorder tickets. Then, at the end of the performance, I would simply do a Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. The clone would continue to sing the very last song, and at the end, I would appear at the back as Shadow Princess and cause some mayhem. When everyone's attention was on me, my clone would disappear. Later, I would simply reappear as the singer and collect my pay… Each time, my pay would at least double because of this man's gifts…_

Sairin pushed that all aside. _It's one thing if he loves my voice. It's another thing if he wants to kill citizens of my birthplace._ She didn't know this man's weaknesses or his strengths, but she had to take a chance. The ruby colour of the Sharingan seeped into her azure eyes. _He can't be strong against everything…_

Sairin's signature original technique came out with even more mastery than it did when she fought Uchiha Shisui. A storm cloud hovered above the shark-like Kirigakure shinobi, Hoshigaki Kisame.

"What –" Kisame was cut off as he noticed the unusual chakra cloud.

Once again, the Uchiha affinity for fire dominated the technique. Flares of a burning heart came first, followed by ice that was comparable to the coldness each Uchiha suffered throughout their lives, then pure water which yearned to purge this impure demon, and then bolts of lightning, then a blizzard which did anything besides ease the wounds, manipulated nearby foliage to surround and destroy, and ended with a sandstorm.

"Kage no Boufuuu!" Sairin uttered serenely as each element struck. Then, seeing that she had done nothing to represent Iwagakure, Hoshigakure, Kusagakure, or Otogakure, Sairin decided to throw in one of Kimimaro's taijutsu in for good measure. Sairin took a branch of a wisteria vine, and turned it into a whip. _Kimimaro spent weeks teaching me how to use whips well… this is the Shiba no Mai which can be applied to any element I form a whip from._

Sairin moved with poise, nimbly and swiftly, but before she could land a single strike, a firm hand held her back. "Your mastery of Kage no Boufuuu has much improved since your fight with Uchiha Shisui," Kisame's associate commented. "You have gotten so much more powerful as well… when did you attain Mangekyou Sharingan? Still, Kisame is stronger than Shisui was, and stupid as he is, is less stupid than Shisui was."

In shock, Sairin dropped her arm and slowly turned around. Even though he was over twenty centimeters taller than she was, Sairin looked directly into what she believed to be the face of an angel.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Um… review, please. I kind of figured that I kept explaining in detail what was going on, but I didn't exactly make it three dimensional. The memory of going to Itachi after a nightmare has been one of my more 3-D paragraphs. Help me out here. 

The translation for Sairin's song is as follows:

Why is it until the end of the end

All you leave is memories?

Goodbye, you've gone to a place where I can never meet you again.

I can't stand the iciness of eternal parting.

Even if it was a lie, I wanted to hear

That for sure you once loved me.

Just once is all I need.

Tell me this is just a bad dream unfolding like this

And that I have simply not woken up…


	6. 6 Epitome of Perfection

Warning: Um… I have none. Just be warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Pairings: Itachi/Sairin

* * *

In shock, Sairin dropped her arm and slowly turned around. Even though he was over twenty centimeters taller than she was, Sairin looked directly into what she believed to be the face of an angel. 

Sairin shouldn't have been surprised. She had, after all, seen him in her memories. But Itachi was even more beautiful face-to-face in real conscious life. Not only that, he had grown from a pretty child to a very attractive man. Itachi was not ethereally beautiful the way Haku had been, nor exotically beautiful like Kimimaro. Itachi, rather, took the classical features of beauty – big eyes, double eyelids, long eyelashes, pale skin – and brought them to a whole new level which could only be called exquisite. Itachi was exquisite. Not only had he sophisticated delicate beauty, Itachi was also the possessor of unrestricted strength and aptitude. Itachi was the very epitome of perfection.

_What did you mean, 'when I fought Uchiha Shisui'?_ Itachi wanted her to ask. Even though it would unravel everything he had suffered for, he wanted to be the big brother she went to when she had questions – just once more. Sairin's response only served to astonish him.

"Itachi-sama, I'm sorry for letting you assume blame for the death of Uchiha Shisui," Sairin softly said with regret in every word. "Even if he was a lunatic who deserved to die for what he did to you, I should have been the one who was blamed."

Itachi gazed down into her eyes and quietly answered, "No, you did nothing. I am the only one who should be liable." Alas, even his voice was ideal. It was smooth and could extend to a variety of pitches to suit his emotions.

"Stop being noble!" Sairin demanded. "You may be the embodiment of perfection that induces jealousy and distrust in those Uchiha, but you're only human! You can't bend the truth to suit your liking. I was the one who killed Uchiha Shisui. I killed him because he talked down to you and betrayed you. That bastard Shisui tried to kill you to get Mangekyou Sharingan."

"You must have remembered incorrectly," Itachi said flatly.

"Shut up, you two," Kisame growled, as he recovered from the attack. His chakra had been sufficient to heal him. "This is no place for arguments. Let our swords do the talking!" He returned his attention to the jounin. "You must be the Copy Ninja Kakashi."

"This is certainly unexpected," Kakashi remarked. "The two curious men at the dango shop turn out to be the Kirigakure missing-nin Hoshigaki Kisame of the Seven Shinobi and our own Uchiha Itachi."

"You know my name. I'm honored," Kisame's thirst for battle amplified.

"You are one of the Seven Shinobi, correct?" Kakashi revealed, as he searched for any other facts he knew. "That sword you have is Samehada."

"Hehe… I heard you and Zabuza had a little skirmish…"

"Yes…" Kakashi affirmed.

Sairin tensed upon hearing her deceased friend's name, but Itachi's gentle hands on her shoulders held her back.

"This is quite an opportunity for me to do some serious slicing here…" Kisame brandished Samehada. Then, seeing Itachi and Sairin's intimacy, he added, "Er, of course, I won't go anywhere near her if you don't want me to… even if she ate up a lot of my chakra a couple minutes ago…"

"Quit messing around," Itachi commanded. It was always his style to use the least words to get the greatest message across. "You will take too long if you fight. If that happens, reinforcements will arrive. We didn't come here to get injured.

"What's this mission you speak of?" Kakashi asked directly.

Sairin leaned back into Itachi's warmth. "We are looking for something," Itachi's melodious voice rang as he caressed Sairin's hair.

"What are you looking for?"

"Unlike Kisame, I don't waste time…"

Itachi drew out four shuriken as Kakashi created a water barrier. Meanwhile, Kakashi's normal Sharingan was unable to see Itachi's true attack. Itachi's water jutsu clashed with Kakashi's water shield. In lightning speed, Itachi formed a Kage Bunshin and appeared behind Kakashi, holding the shuriken to his back.

_I should move…_ Sairin told herself. _Hatake-san won't kill me, even though it's really my fault Itachi-sama did what he did. Even if I want to die in Itachi-sama's place, Hatake-san will not allow it. He'll only defend until he dies._

Kakashi wasn't given the title of jounin in his early teens for no reason. The figure held in place by Itachi dispersed into water. During this time, Kurenai sought to add to the fight. Sairin and Kakashi saw her as a hindrance far before she did. Kakashi pushed her down to protect her from the explosion of Itachi's clone. It wasn't uncommon for clones to hold little bombshells of their own – figuratively and literally.

"Stay on your toes…" Kakashi told his comrades. "He became an Anbu captain at the age of 13. We haven't seen even a drop of his true power yet."

_It's not as though he asked for it!_ Sairin angrily thought to Kakashi, even though she knew her thoughts wouldn't reach him.

"Princess Sairin, stay out of this. Kakashi-san says he's a tragedy hero, but he doesn't know what pain feels like at all… he can't understand us… Leave it to me."

Asuma whispered to Kurenai, "That girl bodes ill for Konoha. The Hokage says we are indebted to her, but it's discomforting to be indebted to a child whose identity keeps changing. First, she was Shadow Princess Satomi, claiming to be both the wanted kunoichi and the singer. Then, she is revealed to be Uchiha Satomi. Now, her name is Uchiha Sairin."

His concerns went barely noticed. Itachi observed, "You are certainly remarkable to be able to use the Sharingan to this point without a drop of Uchiha blood in your veins. However, your body is unlike ours. The Sharingan surely causes you distress."

_There's no doubt about that. If a non-Uchiha wields the Sharingan, his chakra will be easily drained away. Hatake-san is already exhausted._

"Why do people consider the Uchiha clan the strongest?" Itachi asked rhetorically. "I'll let you experience the true power of our clan's Sharingan!"

Kakashi's eyes widened. He yelled to his friends, "Both of you, shut your eyes! Neither of you are to open your eyes unless I say so. Doing so would be overwhelming for both of you. Only another Sharingan user could counter this."

Asuma and Kurenai closed their eyes. Kakashi left only his Sharingan open. It was true that only a Sharingan user stood a chance of resistance. However, Sharingan did not guarantee any type of resistance.

"This is a special doujutsu," Itachi informed out of courtesy. "It is a genjutsu named after the god, Tsukuyomi. Only another Sharingan user with the same blood I have could possibly defeat this!"

Sairin looked away, not wanting to see the torture that would occur next. She heard Kakashi mutter, "Sasuke" before screams of agony pierced the air. Asuma and Kurenai blindly edged their way to aid Kakashi. Sairin resumed her gaze. She knew full well the effects of Tsukuyomi. Apparently, Kisame did too.

"That jutsu is used to cause a mental breakdown in a foe. I'm surprised you're still alive." Turning to Itachi, he said, "You should be careful when you use that doujutsu, since it endangers your wellbeing as well."

"I never realized you cared if I lived or died," Itachi retorted.

"I don't."

"Are you… after Sasuke?" Kakashi asked while he was still able to.

"No…" Itachi's pure and honest heart shone through. "We are looking for Yondaime's legacy."

"You… are after the Kyuubi…" Kakashi gasped, barely able to speak. "You two can't be the only two… you and the Akatsuki…"

"Kisame!" Itachi suddenly called. "Take Kakashi with us. Do as you will to make the others disappear."

"Does that include Princess whatever?" Kisame said, a bit of hope in his eyes.

"Don't press your luck." Itachi glared at him. Then, he added, "She'd probably kill you anyway."

Kisame shrugged and charged at the jounin, but was knocked away by the Konoha Gouriki Senpuu performed by "Leaf's Proud Beast Gai". Kisame was about say something derogatory to Gai, but Itachi cut in, "Don't take him lightly."

"Don't make eye contact with Itachi or you'll end up like Kakashi!" Asuma warned his comrade. This scenario was actually quite amusing to Sairin.

"I know! I used to train to specifically defeat Sharingan to beat Kakashi! Open your eyes!" Gai commanded. "All you need is to look at their feet and predict their movements. It's not that difficult to avoid the eyes. There is a special technique that I use to do so," Gai added upon seeing their reactions, "but I can't teach you here. Are you two jounin or what? You two better learn on the spot."

"What is the plan?" Asuma asked.

"Kurenai, take Kakashi to the hospital! Asuma, you aid me." Looking up at Sairin, he sighed. "Kakashi submitted another useless genin for the chuunin exams… We have to take them on before the Anbu arrive!"

"You have guts…" Kisame prepared for battle and bloodshed.

"Kisame, forget it," Itachi said. It was a command, but it wasn't sharp. "We are not Orochimaru. We are not here to begin a war. It's a shame to leave, but it's pointless to stay. Let's go."

"That's too bad…" Kisame nearly whined.

"Itachi-sama…" Sairin looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Princess… Talk to Sasuke." With that, they were gone.

* * *

Sairin stared down at the floor at Kakashi's apartment. She knew all the jounin were waiting for an explanation of her past. They had, like Anko, heard that Sairin was a lost Uchiha who unnecessarily had to live for several years alone. However, it was very bad impression for the mysterious girl who had come out of nowhere at near jounin level to be suddenly recognized as another surviving Uchiha as well as have what appeared to be a very close friendship with Uchiha Itachi. 

Sairin stood up and paced around, knowing full well that three pairs of eyes were following her. She paused at a position in which her eyes fell closest to Asuma's. Asuma's eyes were the least unreceptive of the three distrusting jounin. "When I asked that Hatake-san enter me in the chuunin exams, all I knew was that I was once known as Sairin. I didn't know I came from the Uchiha clan. One of the friends I met during my four years alone told me that Konoha was my best bet for finding my past. Most of my searches were fruitless, but at least the chuunin exams were an opportunity to grow stronger. I met Sasuke at the first test, and his knowledge of an Uchiha Sairin seemed to match what little I knew. Everything fit into place."

"So you are saying that you entered the chuunin exams unaffiliated with either Orochimaru or the Akatsuki," Kurenai repeated for verification.

Sairin nodded. "I had no memories at all of the Uchiha clan until the very last day of the second exam. I had a dream, and there, many memories came back to me all at once. Since then, an occasional memory pops up here and there."

"What is your connection to Uchiha Itachi?" Gai queried.

"We, Itachi-sama, Sasuke-chan, and I, were best friends," Sairin answered. "I was also engaged to Itachi-sama." Sairin noticed the uneasiness and astonishment the jounin held when they reached this subject. She pressed on, "For Itachi-sama, it was something his parents told him to do, so he did not fight his fate. For me, it was like an almost perfect dream. I always loved Itachi-sama, but he only thinks of me as a younger sister. It was this dedication to his younger siblings that brought about the destruction of the clan."

"What do you mean by that?" Asuma asked.

"Uchiha Shisui was a young man of approximately eighteen when he died, is that correct?" Sairin paused for affirmation. "He behaved like an older brother to Itachi-sama. I suppose it should have been obvious, but then, Itachi-sama was so lonely and we were so young. Itachi-sama enjoyed being mentor to Sasuke-chan and me, but he desperately wanted a mentor of his own. When Shisui offered him this, Itachi-sama accepted him without question. Shisui only wanted to get close to Itachi-sama for the Mangekyou Sharingan, and one day, he lured Itachi-sama out by the Nakano River. Shisui intended to kill Itachi-sama, and Itachi-sama told him he would like to die anyway. Shisui taunted him to make Itachi-sama put up a fight, fearing that he would not gain Mangekyou if his victim did not struggle."

"Every single word Shisui uttered had a lasting impact on Itachi-sama," Sairin found her voice diminishing. She took a breath and strengthened her resolve. "Itachi-sama may have been willing to die, but I refused to let him go. I interfered with the fight and used Kage no Boufuuu, the technique I used on Kisame, on Shisui. Shisui died. The murderous backstabber was killed. It should have been a cause to celebrate, but Shisui was respected among the Uchiha. Every last step he took, he took in order to gain power. Every step Itachi-sama took, it was to find peace of mind. In spite of this, the Uchiha hated Itachi-sama and adored Shisui. No one would believe that Uchiha Shisui was a turncoat."

"I knew at that moment that the death could not be reported. We weighted his body and sunk it to the bottom of the Nakano. I wrote a suicide letter based on Itachi-sama's feelings. In a desperate attempt to save my image, Itachi-sama changed his behavior to invoke the suspicion and animosity of the clan," Sairin's voice began to shake. Unable to steady her voice, she continued anyway, "After a year, Itachi-sama could no longer take the pressure. In order to fully throw all suspicion off my record in the eyes of the world, Itachi-sama slaughtered every one in the clan. He killed every single person who made the three of us suffer."

"He killed Fugaku-san and Mikoto-san. They treated him as a rare artifact and never as a person. They neglected Sasuke-chan. Itachi-sama killed my parents. They never cared for me. They wanted a boy," Sairin spat bitterly. After a break, Sairin added, "Although I don't think they have enough talent to be good parents to a son, either. Itachi-sama killed every last person in the clan who looked down upon the three of us. In short, he killed everyone besides Sasuke-chan and me."

"Are you trying to say that Uchiha Itachi is innocent?" Kurenai asked sharply.

"I am not," Sairin replied. "There is no doubt that Itachi-sama was the one who wielded the blade that ended the lives of many in the Uchiha clan. I'm trying to explain the whole truth, and show that Itachi-sama's reasons for doing what he did were noble. He was a bit reckless in the way he carried out our feelings, but it only proves that he lived as an unguided entity."

"Does Sasuke know what you have just told us?" Gai raised a growing concern.

"Sasuke-chan does not know. Itachi-sama had no intention of killing Sasuke-chan. Still, if Sasuke-chan didn't believe that Itachi-sama was a murderer, neither would the rest of Konoha," Sairin elucidated. "He had to make Sasuke-chan dark. He had to turn him into the ultimate avenger who could persuade the world that Itachi-sama was nothing but a no good bastard. It was the only way to complete the job. Besides, it gave Sasuke-chan a reason to be powerful."

Kurenai appeared downcast. "We will have a lot of paperwork to do later."

"Paperwork is the least of our concerns," Gai said hushed. "First, we have to stop the Akatsuki. Then, we have to alter the textbooks to say that Itachi wasn't just a deranged prodigy."

"You guys taught Konoha that Itachi-sama was deranged!" Sairin incredulously made sure she wasn't hearing things.

"Well, yes, we did," Gai confirmed uncomfortably. "Itachi appeared to be –"

When Sasuke appeared at the door, Gai hushed the conversation about Itachi's existence. Of course, that was suspicious, but they had to risk it.

"Why is Kakashi sleeping?" Sasuke asked, distrustful of the situation. "Why are three other jounin teachers gathered here, resting? Why is Princess Satomi here?"

"Sairin."

Sasuke whipped around. "Do they know..?"

"My name was revealed to them," Sairin lightly said.

Suddenly, a man ran into the room. "Is the story that Itachi has returned true? Is he really chasing Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Idiot!" Gai roared in complete desperation. "You're fired!"

Sairin knew her childhood best friend all too well to think that Sasuke would not stay to learn more of the situation. _Itachi-sama is after Sasuke's closest rival Naruto too. This could prove to be a difficult situation for everyone._ Right on cue, Sairin and Sasuke fled in synchronized motions.

"You haven't lost your touch after so many years," Sasuke remarked.

"It's just an impulse that's been trained into my body," Sairin resoundingly replied. "I can't connect this urge to any of my memories."

"The three of us fought as a squad," Sasuke reminisced, with a touch of fondness in his voice. "We were the Uchiha Delta Battalion. Together, we put down bandits, bullies, and even genin and chuunin who disrespected us." The image of two little kids blowing a great inferno at a frightened and regretful ten year old flashed through Sasuke's eyes. A third ninja who matched the two children perfectly swooped just to prevent any fatalities. "Itachi always hurt those kids really badly, but he made sure never to kill them. We weren't stopped, because most people didn't want to admit losing to three kids. Itachi was already a chuunin then, but he was younger than we are now."

They adroitly flew through the skies with polish. It was almost as if they were back in their childhood days. Neither of them could truly pass as a child any longer. Their eyes have seen far too much and their souls have suffered far too much. Everything was going to be fine. Everything would surely go their way after all the tragedies that destiny thrashed them with. Actually, everything was perfect. The triad was reunited – the minor chord had become a harmonious arpeggio. The only problem was a small confusion which caused tension between the middle and upper notes.

Sairin patiently followed Sasuke silently as he questioned every single ramen shop owner about Naruto's whereabouts. The owner of Ichiraku Ramen informed Sasuke that Naruto had left town with Jiraiya. Sasuke immediately took chase, startling Sairin so much that she noticeably had to catch up with him. When they arrived at the town where Jiraiya and Naruto were said to be visiting, they questioned every single receptionist at the hotels. They were led off-track once when a receptionist gave them the room number for another stupid-looking blond boy and white haired man.

"Don't despair, Sasuke-chan," Sairin gently hoped. "Itachi-sama is nearby."

"I don't give a damn where he is as long as he's dead!" Sasuke snapped.

Sairin felt that familiar twinge of guilt. _That's not true._ "Sasuke-chan, Itachi-sama still loves you…"

"You still love him, even though you two were separate for so long," Sasuke said with distaste. "You even forgot about him for four years, but after meeting him just now, you've fallen back in love with him."

"Well," Sairin stammered taken aback. "Itachi-sama is a very lovable person." Afterwards, Sairin decided to just let Sasuke vent his anger by himself.

Fortunately, Sasuke's fury at Sairin dispersed into fury at Itachi. They stood in the hallway of the Konoha Yoshika Inn, facing a very shocked Naruto. In between them, Itachi and Kisame stood with their backs to the newly arrived Uchiha.

"Sasuke-chan, it's been awhile," Itachi greeted his brother with feigned apathy. Kisame turned to face the arrivals with great interest.

"Uchiha Itachi!" Sasuke spat.

"What?" Naruto gasped, taken aback. He really was thicker than he appeared; not having figured out that Itachi was an Uchiha after spending several moments staring into a pair of three tomoe Sharingan eyes.

"What a special day," Kisame observed. "This day was the first day I ever saw another set of Sharingan. Today, I did not see just one new set of Sharingan, but three."

"I am going to kill you!" Sasuke seethed.

"Little Sharingan wielder," Kisame discourteously addressed Sasuke. "You seem to be familiar with Itachi-san." He then asked Itachi, "If the other one was your fiancée, then who is this kid?"

"This is my younger brother," Itachi told him nonchalantly, even though he was elated to see Sasuke.

"I have always heard that the entire Uchiha clan was wiped out by you," Kisame stated. "I guess I was terribly misinformed. You left two survivors of the Uchiha blood and allowed an outside Sharingan user to live."

"Pffft. I don't live to kill everyone with the Sharingan blood."

"I've wanted to say this to you," Sasuke trembled with wrath as he spoke. "I've lived hating you and I have lived only to kill you!"

Itachi was lucky to be wearing such a high collared coat. Without it, even he would be unable to hide the pain Sasuke's words caused him.

"I have lived for this!" Sasuke yelled as he pulled out white chakra.

"Is this Chidori?" Itachi murmured, using the other name for Raikiri.

Sasuke charged at Itachi with everything he had, but Itachi deflected the jutsu with a single arm. Naruto, upon seeing the desperation of the circumstances, attempted to summon up his Kyuubi chakra.

"You're in the way," Itachi pulled himself together to say. His grip on Sasuke's wrist tightened until it was overwhelming. Then, Itachi brushed Sasuke off.

"Sasuke-chan!" Sairin hurried to check if there was any permanent damage. She found none. _Sasuke-chan, this is living proof that what Itachi-sama has done is all show. Itachi-sama thought ahead to give us a better life._

Naruto began to summon Gamabunta, but Kisame's sword drained Naruto's chakra. "Samehada eats up chakra. Now, you should be no trouble at all." Kisame was about to strike Naruto when Jiraiya appeared with a frog summon.

"You don't know very much about me," Jiraiya mocked disappointment. "I'm better at getting girls than they are at getting me. It's my hidden specialty. The manly Jiraiya will never be seduced by a woman's allure! I will be the one who seduces!"

Without fail, everyone sweatdropped upon hearing Jiraiya's proclamation.

Naruto took his responsibility to keep his teacher in check. "You get excited as soon as a woman even looks at you! This is no time to create false identities, ero-sennin."

"I told you not to call me that in front of others!" Jiraiya chided Naruto with dwindling patience.

"That's not the point here! These aren't ordinary people!"

Once again, Kisame was getting wound up. "So you are Jiraiya of the Sannin. Even though we knew you were a philanderer, we never believed you would have been that easy to sway."

"Wow, even you guys know the real ero-sennin?" Naruto asked, amazed.

"You can't seriously call this my real self!" Jiraiya hurriedly protested. "Come on, there's a conscious woman here!"

"Princess Shadow-whatever isn't a woman!"

"It looks as if you've dispelled the genjutsu we used on that woman," Itachi commented, effectively ending their quarrel.

"In order to separate us, you used the Sharingan ability on this woman. Your aim is Naruto's Kyuubi, is it not?" Jiraiya slurred.

"It's no wonder Kakashi-san knew about us," Itachi reflected. "You were the source. Yes, our organization Akatsuki ordered us to kidnap Naruto."

"Well, I can't simply hand him over. I'll take this time to finish off both of you!"

For a moment, Sairin really feared for Itachi's life. Jiraiya was a Sannin, and therefore equal to Orochimaru and Tsunade. If Orochimaru was stronger than the Hokage, then Itachi would not be fighting an easy battle. Then, Sasuke weakly commanded, "Don't interfere… I want to kill him by myself…"

"I'm not interested in you at all," Itachi scoffed. "You've made progress, but you're nothing next to Princess Sairin."

Sairin felt wondrously flattered at Itachi's compliment, until she remembered that it had an adverse effect – reducing Sasuke. "Itachi-sama, don't you think you have overdone it with that statement? Sasuke-chan tries so hard every day to be like you!"

Itachi didn't look at her. "Sasuke can barely pass for chuunin level power. You can fight beyond jounin level. You haven't fought in teams since the Uchiha Delta Battalion save for a few instances in the last four years. You might not be able to become an official jounin leader, but you certainly qualify for Anbu or Hunter-nin." Itachi effortlessly kicked Sasuke onto the wall.

"Itachi-sama, do you really have to do this?" Sairin demanded, far too weak-willed to oppose her dearest friends. The fact that Itachi was so enchanting did not help the situation. "You would be lying to yourself if you said that hurting Sasuke doesn't cut straight through your heart!"

"Don't interfere!" Sasuke yelled. "This is our fight. Only Sairin and I are entitled to kill Itachi. Sairin, you're not obligated to do so, but at least let me fulfill my destiny." Sasuke's arms quivered as he struggled to push himself to his feet. It was a great feat that Sasuke managed to do so, considering the fact that he lost a lot of chakra using his failed Raikiri and that he was choking up blood.

Sairin turned away when Itachi began to clout Sasuke as if he were a punching bag. She heard Kisame smugly say, "He doesn't know how to show mercy."

"Actually, Kisame," Sairin cut in shaking with every word in cold fury, "he is very benevolent. Itachi-sama has not been dealing clean hits. Instead, Itachi-sama has been slugging Sasuke-chan with multiple high-speed blows, each of which is aimed at a different part of the body, thus not giving Sasuke-chan permanent damage anywhere while ending the fight quicker."

Naruto was about to ask her to repeat her explanation when Sasuke's screams cut in. They looked to see Itachi pinning Sasuke to the wall. It didn't take anyone more than a moment to realize that Itachi had used Tsukuyomi.

The events that followed became a blur. Naruto charged at Itachi with Kisame right behind him. Then, all of a sudden, the hotel's hallway became a pink and foreign substance.

"Ninpou Gama Guchi Shibari," Jiraiya composedly said. "You are all in the stomach of my summon now."

Itachi ignored Jiraiya. "Why are you still so weak, Sasuke-chan?" Itachi murmured to a half-conscious Sasuke. "Your hatred isn't strong enough."

"You two are both wanted criminals," Jiraiya tried again to draw the Akatsuki shinobi to him. "Even though Itachi's record is now being reworded, there is no reason why you two shouldn't become nutrition for Iwagama."

"What did you say this was?" Naruto panicked as he hopped from foot to foot.

"Shut up, Naruto," Jiraiya said. "This is my jutsu, so don't worry!"

"Kisame, get over here," Itachi drawled.

"No one has ever escaped from this jutsu," Jiraiya smirked.

"Itachi-sama will escape with little trouble," Sairin quietly said.

Itachi stopped. "Princess Sairin…"

"What am I supposed to do when my one of my best friends wants to kill my other best friend?" Sairin softly inquired of Itachi. "I can't watch my beloved…"

Itachi looked away forlornly. "I understand. You have long since been freed from our engagement. You and Sasuke-chan are free to dip into the Uchiha treasury for your wedding."

_That's not what I meant, Itachi-sama…_ Sairin couldn't find words. "Itachi-sama, I… do you really feel that there is no other way?"

"I have left a note on Sasuke-chan. Take care of each other."

Kisame and Itachi ran for the exit. The walls of Iwagama's stomach closed in on them, but it was no concern for the Uchiha. Itachi drained up even more chakra than he usually did over a month in just this one day by using Amaterasu in addition to Tsukuyomi twice. Amaterasu easily burnt a great hole in Iwagama and they escaped.

Jiraiya walked to the exit and examined the remnants with concern. He laid out a scroll and sealed away the jutsu, as there was no need to maintain it any longer.

"You're concerned about the technique Itachi-sama used just now, aren't you?" Sairin tranquilly asked. Jiraiya didn't answer. She proceeded anyway, "It's a special technique called Amaterasu, after the goddess. It comes with the Mangekyou Sharingan."

Jiraiya chose not to acknowledge that Sairin had said anything. "It should be safe to go check up on Sasuke."

It hurt to see such hostility aimed towards Itachi, especially since those actions which caused hostility were ones he did not agree with either. It hurt because Itachi made incomparable sacrifices which he would not have had happen if it could have been avoided. Itachi gave up any possibility of a brighter future for himself and condemned himself to eternal darkness so that his two best friends could have an ideal life. The final result was hatred from his homeland and hatred from one of those precious friends.

_Itachi-sama knew it had to happen. He went ahead anyway. No one really knows him. They hate him anyway._ Sairin knelt beside Sasuke much to Naruto's displeasure. However, neither Jiraiya nor Naruto had time to complain, because Gai came out of thin air, yelling, "Dynamite Gai has appeared!" Gai kicked Jiraiya straight in the face before realizing who his victim was.

Sairin let the disgruntled Jiraiya and not-particularly-remorseful Gai smooth things over. Sairin personally thought Gai ought to have written his will before he came, because accidentally kicking a Sannin and not apologizing properly was a deathwish.

She felt Sasuke's breathing, and for once, it was normal. Sairin allowed her hand to meet his face, and caressed the silky white skin that was so similar to Itachi's. Naruto had for some reason chosen to join in the adults' conversation even though Jiraiya was not in the best mood. They didn't care about her. They only liked people who were just like them. The people of Konoha loved only the Uchiha who stayed in Konoha.

_Tsukuyomi doesn't seem to have affected Sasuke-chan as badly as it affected Hatake-san or in that memory of that day. It must have something to do with Sasuke-chan getting the Sharingan._ Sairin intuitively moved to attempt a basic medical jutsu on him. _There have been so many casualties recently. The medical-nin are already worn out from staying up day and night. Jiraiya and Naruto are searching for Tsunade and her assistant. They would be excellent additional medical-nin, but those two don't seem to have found them yet. We could summon Chiyo-baa-sama from Sunagakure, but since the invasion ordered by the imposter Kazekage Orochimaru, there have been many casualties on their side as well. Why? Why am I so useless in these situations? Of all the jutsu I have learned, none of them have helped me save my friends._

Sairin was vaguely aware of something prodding her left arm. She blinked and looked into Naruto's face. "Hey, Princess, we're leaving. Are you coming with us, or are you going back to Konoha?"

"Ah… I think I shall return to Konoha," Sairin decided. She lifted Sasuke up a bit, and tried to support him. Under normal circumstances, this would have been next to nothing to do. However, Sairin was mystified at the difficulty she was having.

Gai took Sasuke off her shoulders and carried him on his back. Sairin was about to protest that he didn't need to help, but Gai was a step ahead of her. "I don't doubt your abilities at all. It's just that Sasuke is wounded, and it's less likely for me to make his injuries worse."

_Doesn't that mean you still doubt my ability to carry Sasuke well?_ Sairin wondered at Gai's thought process. _You're saying that I would make an injured Sasuke's wounds worse. How is that not suggesting that I'm incompetent?

* * *

_

Sairin stopped briefly at the Uchiha property to pick up some clothes so that she could remain at the hospital overnight. It did her no good to see the vast estate occupied by less people than she could count on one hand. Sairin then had to rush to the hospital, not wanting to be apart from her wounded friend for so long.

Once there, the same receptionist who had told her Sasuke was gone a month ago greeted Sairin. The lady was far from warm to her, but she gave Sairin the room number in the end. Sairin forced herself to slowly walk down to Sasuke's room in a dignified manner. The temptation to run barbarically to her friend's side was overwhelming, but Sairin managed not to disrupt the orderliness of the hospital.

Sairin's guise as Shadow Princess was officially over. The story spread of the Shadow Princess and her dedication to Uchiha Sasuke. Meanwhile, an identical story of the singer and surviving Princess Uchiha Satomi spread as well. It didn't take much thought for people to piece them together. Thankfully, most people didn't get wind of her real name being 'Sairin'.

It was certainly peculiar that only Sairin's story traveled while other girls such as Haruno Sakura were completely unheard of. Sairin later suspected that Hyuuga Neji had been behind this, and had only enough courtesy not to reveal her true name. Anyhow, the entire world learned of how Sairin spent 24/7 by Sasuke's side, even to the point that she forced herself to remain awake for an entire week. Several doors closed for Sairin, such as the flexibility to be the Shadow Princess for fear of tarnishing the Uchiha name and her own reputation further, but other doors opened for her, such as a number of unfamiliar entertainment agencies wanting contracts with her.

Nevertheless, all those insignificant things were ignored. The children of this generation experienced so much pain that minor things such as eminence were trivial. While she did not stay awake overnight, Sairin held true to the rumors and watched over the unconscious Sasuke.

Haruno Sakura was a regular visitor who went every day as soon as she got wind of the fact that Sasuke had returned. She was quiet for the most part, but she still annoyed Sairin. Sairin had the intelligence to ignore her emotions and deal with the pink-haired girl politely. Once, Sakura pushed Sairin to her limit and could have been killed.

"Princess Sairin," Sakura used honeyed words to get her attention. "There really isn't any need for you to stay here. I can do this by myself."

"I can stay to take care of Sasuke, and so I will," came Sairin's calm reply.

"Look, girl," the sweetness wore off to reveal the true poison. "I am Sasuke-kun's beloved girlfriend. I am all that he needs."

"You are barely making the cut as a loyal companion in Sasuke-chan's eyes," Sairin icily but honestly stated. "Sasuke has told me that you are wavering between acceptable comrade and complete nuisance."

The deadly gleam of crimson beginning to seep into Sairin's normally turquoise eyes made Sakura back off. "Of course you're right. I was testing you, and you passed. You are Sasuke's true friend. Congratulations."

Fortunately for Sakura, she had the common sense never to bring up the topic of giving up Sasuke ever again. It's not that Sairin actually minded that Sakura declared her love for Sasuke openly. It was more of the fact that Sakura had asked her to hand Sasuke over as if he were an item that could be exchanged. Sure, many girls expressed desire to eventually become Sasuke's soul mate, but none of them were as blunt or as aggressive. This was most obvious when Yamanaka Ino paid Sasuke and Sairin a visit.

Sairin heard the door slide open one morning, but the presence was not that of Haruno Sakura. She recognized the visitor as the ikebana master Ino. "Good morning, Yamanaka-san."

Ino gracefully stepped inside, as if the floor had an elastic quality. Sairin envied the elegance of this girl who was born to a middle-class family. Ino's family was far from as affluent as the Uchiha, but Ino led a confident, polished, and happy life – one that Sairin never had. In Sairin's eyes, Ino's life was perfect. She never had the same pressure put on her as the three Uchiha children did. The only thing Ino had less of was money, and none of the Uchiha would have considered a silver spoon critical.

"Good morning, Princess," Ino greeted her, uncertain of how to address the girl whose name was ever-changing.

Sairin smiled wearily. "It's okay. I am the Shadow Princess and my name is Uchiha Sairin. My professional name is Satomi. Address me however you wish."

"I can't believe all the stuff you've done during those years," Ino commented. "You became a wanted kunoichi because you were slaying a number of ninja who got in your way. It's mostly because they were troublemakers, but nevertheless, all those evil crime lords who commissioned those troublemakers wanted you dead."

"It wasn't the smartest thing I've accomplished," Sairin muttered. "Many of them were thieves and brigands. Once I gained a reputation as the Shadow Princess, many people hired mercenaries to kill me. It all became an everlasting cycle."

"I suppose. You also became a popular rising singer, didn't you?"

"Yes… I used my reputation as the Shadow Princess to create publicity," Sairin answered. "If half the city where I was didn't know that the Shadow Princess was going to make chaos in the arena, then I didn't do the job well."

"Did you really need to go through all that trouble?" Ino wondered.

"I had to make a living to survive, Yamanaka-san."

"Why didn't you just use the Uchiha gold?"

"I lost my memory, remember?" Sairin reminded the ikebana adept. "I had no idea who my family was. I had no recollection of being the daughter of the Uchiha."

Ino was quiet for a moment, reminiscing on how much one of the most prominent families suffered. "Speaking of Uchiha, how is Sasuke?"

Both girls glanced at the sleeping boy. Sairin spoke, "Sasuke is in stable condition. His injuries are nowhere near as bad as the damage done to his mind."

"Sasuke, please be all right," Sairin heard Ino whisper. Sairin gazed into Ino's ice blue eyes and found nothing but genuine concern.

_It's too bad that Sasuke-chan would never find happiness with Ino-san. She won't find happiness with him either. If I push them together, they will only be miserable. I can't do that to my friends._ Sairin wanted Sasuke to feel less alone. Even though Sasuke was in paradise when she returned to Konoha, Sairin felt that Sasuke wasn't complete. She felt as if her presence wasn't enough. _It would be nice if they would get together, since Sasuke-chan really is a warmhearted person, and Ino-san isn't as ditzy as she tends to appear._

Just as Sairin thought this, Ino requested out of the blue, "Can you autograph this?" Ino handed Sairin a recording of one of her performances labeled: "Satomi: Arena Tour Year 168". _This was the exact year when Itachi killed the clan. I can't believe I was already so well-known that early in my career._

"Um… How should I autograph it?" Sairin asked.

"I just want you to sign your name. You don't have to add anything special."

Sairin inscribed on the cover: "To my amazing friend, Yamanaka Ino. Best wishes for success for the rest of your life! Uchiha Sairin, Shadow Princess." Sairin then drew a puffy cloud around her title to represent her Kage no Boufuuu technique. She criticized it from every angle before adding "Satomi" to the cover. To Sairin's dismay, the addition made the signature look childishly overdone.

Ino laughed upon seeing how hard Sairin was focusing on the case. "You're so serious about everything. Not everything has to be perfect."

Sairin blushed. "I'm sorry… it's just that Itachi-sama has always been so flawless. I feel as if I'm nothing but a little bit of dust clinging onto him."

"Is Itachi your…" Ino held out her thumb.

"No, it's nothing like that," Sairin quietly corrected. "Itachi-sama was one of my two best friends growing up from Year 164 all the way through the beginning of Year 168 when Itachi-sama massacred the clan. We were betrothed."

"Was your engagement a burden?" Ino asked with unease. Arranged marriages didn't always work out.

"No, it was as if I was in heaven. I have always loved Itachi-sama. It's just that he's always been so much higher than Sasuke-chan and me. Itachi-sama deserves a girl much better than me. He deserves a beautiful girl with lots of talent."

"It sounds as if you are the ideal girl for Itachi, then," Ino evenly declared. Sairin raised her deep blue turquoise eyes to meet Ino's cerulean ones. Ino smiled confidently at the younger girl.

Sairin almost began to smile too, but she couldn't. "Itachi-sama sacrificed so much for Sasuke-chan and me. Neither one of us deserves to even be distantly related to him, especially not me."

"He sacrificed everything for the two people he cared about."

* * *

Sasuke resumed consciousness the day after. He had been pounced on by Sakura with a fresh flower and an apple almost immediately, but he had given her just about as much attention as he previously had. This wasn't to say that he paid Sairin much more notice either. Sasuke gratefully accepted Sairin's tomatoes, but he was mostly lost in thought. Sairin could now recall distant days when Sasuke would optimistically do his best to advance in his nindou. These days, it was as if all hope had been drained from him. Sasuke looked like a frail and lost child – lost in the darkness which ironically was the white hospital sheet. 

The taciturn Sasuke was by no means boring to either girl. Sakura was still obsessive over the poor boy. She peeled and cut him apples at every opportunity, even though he never ate a single piece. Sairin gave up trying to tell Sakura that Sasuke had a minor allergy to apples, since she never listened to Sairin anyway. Sairin found watching her childhood friend just mull over things to be quite fascinating.

When Sairin wasn't watching Sasuke, she daydreamed about Itachi. She remembered every little detail about the regal and stunning young man. Sairin envisioned those radiant eyes that outshone even Itachi's glowing pale skin. She pictured the slender Uchiha faultlessly throw multiple shuriken and hit unseen targets. Itachi smiled at Sairin and neared her… Sairin could hear his rich voice murmur indistinct words… The warmth of the captivating young man engulfed her. Suddenly, Itachi grew slightly more remote. Itachi's face became somewhat less delicate, though still godly in its own way. The boy of Sairin's reverie had become the less than welcome Hyuuga Neji.

"Princess, get out now."

"You got a personal summons from Hyuuga Neji!" Sakura shrieked. "This is so unheard of! What are you waiting for?" she asked the unmoving Sairin. Inside, Sakura was screaming, _hurry up and get out of here so Sasuke-kun and I can be alone!_

Sairin returned those feelings. _I'm tempted to get away from Sakura, but leaving Sasuke-chan alone with this demon feels like a betrayal. Besides, I don't really want to talk to Neji-kun at all._

Still, Sairin followed Neji out of the room and into the hallway. On the way out, she heard Sakura purr, "How are you doing today, Sasuke-kun? I have prepared fresh apples today. Would you like one?"

_As if she didn't do the same thing every single day._

* * *

"Why are you still watching her?" Kisame growled in an irritated manner from the trees outside the hospital. "She does the same thing every single day. She takes care of Sasuke the way you told her to." 

"But she isn't taking care of herself," Itachi murmured in the regal voice he had.

"Didn't you want to give her up?" Kisame asked. "You said that all the illicit actions you have taken were to give her and Sasuke a better life. Sairin and Sasuke are supporting each other. Aren't you satisfied?"

Itachi didn't answer, leaving Kisame room to drone on unwisely. "It's not like you are watching out for your soul mate or anything. In fact, she's your fiancée but you go about pushing her onto other guys. You watched her get taken away just now by that Hyuuga boy."

"That's enough, Kisame," Itachi said in a flat voice that revealed neither anger nor bitterness, nor any emotion for that matter. "If you don't want to stay here, you are free to roam about Konoha as long as you don't cause trouble."

Kisame shook his head at the young man beside him. "I'll go, but I really can't see why you won't. All Sairin does is take care of your brother and occasionally talk to that blonde girl." The shark-like man vanished in the blink of an eye.

As soon as Itachi was certain Kisame was far off enjoying himself, he allowed the feelings to return to his face. _Why can't I simply let go? You and Sasuke are reunited now, so I shouldn't have to worry about you any longer. Does this mean I'm still holding on?_

* * *

"You're a noble girl, right?" Neji didn't mince words for someone who was born to such an acclaimed family. He didn't even bother with greetings and transitions. He simply assumed that one understood, and if they didn't, it was their problem. Sairin saw this as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it was very blunt and insolent. On the other hand, one never had to read in between the lines. This was one example of those times when Neji was both blunt and vague. 

"I was born into the noble Uchiha clan," Sairin decided carefully that it was safe to say that much.

Neji stopped to think for a moment, though not about Sairin's situation. "That makes two of us. Then, there's still Sasuke. Maybe eventually Hinata and Hanabi can also be added…"

_What in all seven hells is Neji talking about?_ Sairin never considered nobility before, or all the responsibilities to go with it. Only recently did she at least temporarily resign as the Shadow Princess. Was there some special event that was mandatory for all nobility?

"Just you wait, Princess Sairin," Neji declared, using a tone Sairin found less diminishing than usual. "I will defeat you and Sasuke."

"I'll look forward to it."

* * *

Sairin returned to Sasuke's side only to find Sakura still trying to get Sasuke to eat her apples._ I can't believe this girl. She excels in theory, which means her intelligence is very high. I guess intelligence is a different field from IQ and common sense._

Sakura gave her a stare of deepest antipathy. "So, Princess Sairin, what did Neji-kun want with you?"

Sairin knew Sakura wanted Sasuke to hear that she was out of the competition for his love. _That's stupid, because I'm not competing for Sasuke-chan's love. I just don't want a whole bunch of silly teenyboppers trying to win Sasuke-chan as if he were a thing. I can't stand the way they only care about materialistic things._ Sairin refused to let Sakura get any satisfaction out of the situation. First and foremost, Neji had no intentions of any type of romantic relationship with Sairin, and Sairin had no intention of lying for Sakura's sake.

"Neji-kun found Sasuke-chan and I to be very capable adversaries," Sairin simply and perhaps a little arrogantly explained. "He wishes to fight us, and intends to stop only when he emerges victorious."

That was another point for Sairin. The half-conscious Sasuke inwardly smiled. _I want to fight Neji too. I won't let him win. If I have to lose Sairin to someone, it can only be Itachi._ Apparently, Sasuke was not immune to the effect of Sairin speaking privately to Neji, either. However, Sairin didn't notice that very much. Despite reprimanding the materialistic teenyboppers, Sairin was nearly the same. She loved the perfect Itachi, and was blinded from the love Sasuke held for her since the year they met.

Meanwhile, Sakura's façade began to wear off. Another day was slipping by, and she had still lost Sasuke's love to a girl who would never return those feelings. _Sure, she's prettier and stronger, but am I so undesirable? Is accepting me really a poorer choice than holding on to unrequited love? Well, certainly Sairin loves Sasuke-kun. She just isn't interested in him in a lover type of way. And about Neji-kun… He also finds Sairin a worthier person, just because she's a better shinobi. This isn't fair. Why does Sairin have everything?_

Of course, Haruno Sakura could not comprehend the fact that Sairin did not have everything. Sakura had grown up in just as normal a household Ino had. Both her parents found their daughter a silly ditz, but lived, and loved her anyway. Sakura led the sheltered type of life that was painless, simple, and naïve. However, unlike with Ino, Sairin could not bring herself to envy this pink-haired airhead. Sairin would not sacrifice even her heartbreaking past for the spacey oblivious life Sakura had.

* * *

In the next two days, Neji returned to demand a spar with Sairin. Sairin declined the "offer", telling him that she needed to stay by Sasuke's side. Neji persisted, but was dragged off by a sympathetic Yamanaka Ino who fortuitously happened to visit. Sakura was infuriated not only by Neji's failure to remove Sairin from Sasuke's side (even though it was completely for himself), but by Ino's presence as well. The day after, Sairin thought going off with Neji and leaving Sasuke as Sakura's victim was better than declining the challenge and sitting beside a fuming Sakura. However, the second time, Neji didn't push the topic, and instead wished Sasuke a quick recovery. 

Not two hours after Neji's visit, the door opened and three shinobi appeared. The tall beautiful blonde woman politely asked, "May I come in?"

_Who is this woman? What is this power that stems from her body?_ Sairin's eyes widened in awe, and she was frozen to the spot. _Could she be the legendary Tsunade?_ She allowed her eyes to linger on the red diamond on the woman's forehead before glancing at the shorter dark haired woman beside her. _Perhaps she is an apprentice. Great shinobi do not always have a three student team. Sometimes they take on one ninja who they find talented. They appear to have a close relationship._ Then, Sairin realized she had completely sounded out the world when she saw a bouncing Naruto but could not hear a word coming out of his mouth. Sairin shook her head and returned to reality, saying, "Please make yourself comfortable."

"Who are you?" Sakura couldn't help but ask. Sairin noticed at this time that Jiraiya was behind the dark haired woman.

"Sakura-chan, Sasuke will be all right now!" Naruto explained bubbly. "This woman is an awesome doctor!" _Tsunade she is._ Sairin mentally decided.

Tsunade glanced at Sairin, though not in a way that was intimidating. It was a nice change, because recently people came from all over the village just to see what the "new" Uchiha looked like. "I know you mean well, but you really shouldn't be telling others to make themselves comfortable in a room you don't own."

"I'm sorry if I appeared to be stepping out of bounds," Sairin apologized, realizing that Tsunade had a point. "I have always spoken insolently thus."

Sakura stood up, and for once, showed humility. "I heard about you from Gai-sensei. Please help Sasuke-kun."

"Leave it to me," Tsunade reassured the girl with a smile. She positioned herself right by Sasuke, and allowed her hand to hover over his forehead. As she caused a light to emanate from the palm, Tsunade thought to herself, _have these two girls been taking care of Sasuke every single day? I passed the visitor check-in, and I saw the name Haruno Sakura signing in and out every day. I didn't see any other frequent visitor name…_ Tsunade glanced at two vases by the windowsill. The first was a plain glass vase containing fresh daffodils. The second was a sophisticatedly adorned blue topaz vase holding wilting jasmine. _Does this mean that this other girl is the third Uchiha at the center of the gossip recently? Certainly not many can afford blue topaz vases. The jasmine has not been changed, so that probably means this girl has not left the hospital since her arrival. If she is an Uchiha, that at least explains the dedication._

As Tsunade finished administering treatment, she looked up at the girls. "Sasuke will be just fine now." Their relieved smiles remained in her memory forever. _Both of them are so devoted to Sasuke… The way they show their care reveals a lot about their personalities… The girl with the blue eyes must be the Uchiha. She uses the expensive vase because it happens to be there for her. She presents Sasuke with a flower, but doesn't bother bringing new ones every day, because she believes her presence means more to Sasuke than a flower does. Sakura, on the other hand, hasn't landed in Sasuke's favor yet, and so believes that constant material gifts can prove her love. She doesn't have a history with Sasuke to fall back on. It's the only thing Sakura can do._

Sairin saw her reflection in Sakura for a brief instant. For less than a second, Sakura dropped her immaturity and showed true loyalty to Sasuke. For a moment, Sakura had let go of concern for herself to hold onto concern for her teammate. _Perhaps there is some hope for the two of us to get along after all._

Tsunade interrupted these thoughts. "You are Uchiha-san, is that correct?"

"Yes, my name is Uchiha Sairin," she answered, still smiling.

"You should rest up," Tsunade advised, "From the looks of it; you've sacrificed your own health in order to care for Sasuke. He's in stable condition now, and just needs rest. There is no need for you to remain here all the time now."

She did not truly want to leave Sasuke, but Sairin knew Tsunade was right. She had had little or restless sleep over the past week, and had skipped many meals. Sairin silently packed her clothes and toiletries into a satin bag, but left the withering flowers behind. As always, Sairin lightly walked away as if she was really hovering rather than walking. She gave Sakura an uncertain but friendly smile on her way out, which to everyone's surprise was returned.

* * *

Sasuke recovered rapidly afterwards. Since Sasuke was in better health, Sakura's hostility towards Sairin resumed, but on a much more temperate level. It seemed to settle into a type of connection in which they each acknowledged the other as someone they have to be around often but always treated each other as if they had only just met. 

Sairin still cared for Sasuke, but her visits were no longer daily. She had realized she had been unwise to lose so much sleep to watch over a boy who was already being treated with the best attention the hospital could give upon seeing the darkened circles below her eyes. On her days off, if Sairin was not giving herself much needed sleep, she could often be seen learning ikebana from Ino (Sairin made great progress in ikebana, but she was still in the stage where she picked a main flower and then chose a simple flower with a non-clashing colour to create the arrangement, as opposed to actually having a feel for which flowers go together). Despite the fact that Sairin's successes in ikebana ran mostly off pure luck, Ino's patience never dwindled. Otherwise, Sairin dropped all thoughts of envying Ino's perfect life, and trained by the Nakano River as if destiny told her both Itachi and Sasuke would die if she didn't exhaust herself.

One of those days, Sairin practiced the techniques she was less comfortable with. Generally, her weakest category was taijutsu. No matter how polished her form was, Sairin was unable to most effectively deal damage with taijutsu. Sairin brandished the bone sword Kimimaro had given her that distant summer, and fused with the summer breeze as she performed Yuri no Mai. It almost _was_ a dance. The technique was very graceful and light and Sairin added in accents to give her movements feeling. Sairin allowed herself to withdraw from the world for just a moment – she cast away her pain, washed away her troubles, and freed her heart. It was her dance. She could perform it however she wished.

Everything was too perfect for a flawed being such as Sairin. It could not last. It did not last. Hyuuga Neji shifted his stance, cracking a prematurely dried leaf. Instantly, the music was lost, and the biting cold of reality rushed back into Sairin.

"Neji-kun, how long have you been here?" Sairin asked. She wasn't positive that this was the best way to phrase a question, but she didn't feel as though he had just arrived. Sairin scolded herself for allowing a potential threat to get so near.

Neji shrugged. "I arrived a little while ago. I didn't want to disturb you."

_Does this mean he doesn't think my form is total crap? Saying something nice for once is a pleasant change._ Sairin wondered what Neji had eaten for breakfast that morning, and attempted to keep his usual demeanor from returning. "Thank you for being so patient. Do you have any business with me?"

"No… I didn't, but if you would spar with me, I could make room for that," Neji used a mock-serious tone, causing Sairin to laugh just a little bit. Even Neji loosened up. "Actually, I just happened to be passing by."

Sairin smiled awkwardly. It was enjoyable to not have to worry herself over having to decline minutely challenges to a fight while in the presence of the respectable older boy. _Neji isn't really such a selfish brat…_

"It was just coincidence that I met you here," Neji explained in a strained tone. "On the other hand, we of the Hyuuga have considered-"

The sound of an explosion rang throughout Konoha. Both of the young shinobi whipped around to search for the source. At the same moment, they said in the same solemn voice, "There's trouble at the hospital."

Turning to the noble Hyuuga, Sairin bowed in courtesy. "Please excuse my impudence. My cousin is in the hospital, and I must see that he is unhurt."

Neji nodded understandingly. _If the story is true, then it's only logical that Sasuke would be so important to her._

Sairin hurried to the hospital in such haste that it was unseemly for anyone from a respected family. Usually, she would scold herself for lacking finesse whereas Itachi was flawlessly elegant, but today Sairin ignored that. It shouldn't have been a surprise considering the life she had, but appearing sophisticated outweighed any sort of celebrity status fame. It was one of those superficial things that Sairin had always clung to.

Reaching the hospital in close to record time, Sairin performed aerial twists all the way up to the rooftop. As she neared the top, Sairin scanned every level before deciding for sure that the only trouble was on the roof.

For each of the Uchiha progeny, trouble usually meant catastrophe. Sairin half expected to see the rooftop blown off the hospital entirely while Sasuke was lying on the ground uttering his last words as he bled to death. Sairin had no fortune telling ability as far as realizing that it did concern Sasuke – she was just far too paranoid over losing the nearest friend and family she had.

Fortunately for Sairin, the trouble was far less severe than most of the recent happenings. Sairin caught sight of two damaged water reservoir tanks. Naruto was supporting himself with one that was half blown apart. Sasuke likely smashed up the other one. He, however, back-flipped over the fence just as Sairin leapt up. Balancing herself on the fence, she took in the situation. Obviously Naruto and Sasuke had just fought. That much was predictable. On the side, there was an exhausted Kakashi who looked as though he wished he never because a jounin instructor and a weeping Sakura.

Sairin glanced down at Sasuke once more and saw his eyes widen to unspeakable sizes as he noticed the damage Naruto had done to his water tank. Sairin hated herself for envying Sasuke's enormous eyes at such a serious moment. _How can I possibly understand Sasuke's pain? For the longest time, I lived only to grow stronger because I had no other purpose. However, it wasn't something I couldn't survive without. Sasuke-chan has always wanted to be like Itachi-sama – to be like me. Now, Naruto shows such strength, Sasuke can't help but feel resentment towards everything including himself. Yet why does he not resent Kakashi, who is standing right there? Mitarashi told me that Kakashi was a dedicated number one student in his academy days. He was the Sasuke of his time. I suppose Sasuke-chan doesn't care if he was a prodigy ten years ago, or if Orochimaru was literally a phenomenon half a century ago. All that matters is that Sasuke-chan is overshadowed by Itachi-sama right now, and Naruto and I aren't helping the situation at all._

As Sasuke walked off alone, Sairin had to resist the impulse to follow him. Best friends meant that you always stuck together. It was never any other way until now. Jiraiya appeared at the base of a water tank, but no one paid attention to him. Naruto was headed for Sakura, while Kakashi headed for Sairin.

"Princess Sairin, please forgive me for being so demanding of you," Kakashi carefully proceeded with what little flowery courtesies he could muster. "If you could see that Sasuke does not act very intrepidly from now on, that would be appreciated."

"You did not need to waste your breath," Sairin muttered tiredly. Any human interaction at this time seemed to irritate her greatly. She instantly regretted behaving like a common-born child who was never taught etiquette, but even that served to irk her. After all, Sairin never was taught the protocol of high-class society. She had her caring parents to thank for that. Fugaku and Mikoto were better replacements (better being comparative) who at least had a purpose for her, but they didn't care that much, either. "Did you not think that I would watch out for Sasuke anyway?"

Right out of the blue, at that very moment, Sairin thought of something she had forgotten for many days. Itachi had left a note on Sasuke's body somewhere, but Sairin never saw it. _It could be that Itachi-sama hid the note well. But even if I didn't see it, that doesn't mean the medical-nin didn't either. Maybe one of them already found the note and took it away after seeing it signed by Itachi-sama. Or maybe Sasuke-chan did get it, but he just didn't tell any of us about it._ Sairin whispered, "That can't be a good sign." With that, she fled inside the hospital and went directly to Sasuke's room.

* * *

At sundown, Sairin had not found the note anywhere in Sasuke's hospital room, nor had she seen Sasuke since the incident. She returned resignedly to the Uchiha property and walked through Sasuke's room with care. If she broke anything, even if it were easily replaced, she would hate herself, just because it belonged to Sasuke. These days, it seemed as though her self-confidence was even more fragile than it was. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a pillow on Sasuke's bed. Sairin quietly walked over and sat down on the bed. _Sasuke-chan is using the usual satin sheets, but this mattress is actually filled with dove feathers_, she determined. Sairin reached forth and brought the familiar pillow nearer. It was a small square-shaped pillow that puffed out just a bit too much. It had a green background theme with a mini-tapestry of a tomato garden weaved onto it. _Itachi-sama helped me make this for Sasuke-chan…It wasn't his birthday or anything. I just wanted him to be able to dream of tomatoes every night._

Sairin sat there, smiling foolishly at the pillow. She didn't know how much time had passed, but countless hours later, Sairin could be seen sleeping in a fetal position, resting her head upon the tomato garden pillow.

Some time later that night, Sasuke returned to his room, thinking, _I guess this is a sign. I can't turn back now. Sairin is sleeping in my bed, so I must move on…did she claim my tomato garden pillow?_ As he grabbed a few helpful supplies, shuriken, and kunai, he wondered if she remembered that it had been a gift from her. Sasuke also wondered if he could by any chance take the pillow out of her arms. In the end, he decided against it. _It's a miracle she hasn't awoken by now. She's such a sharp ninja. Before, everything would wake her up. I should take my chance now…_

Sasuke was gone. Sairin dreamed a silent dream. It wasn't quite a nightmare, but Sairin found herself surrounded by shadows which neither helped nor harmed her. It was discomforting, but it did not terrorize her. It was as if something was stalling for time…

Sairin opened her turquoise-coloured eyes. Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. _That's strange… he should have returned yesterday night._ Then, the truth hit her.

Sasuke was gone.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry I took so long. I expected this to be up before the end of May, and here we are in mid-July. I had some unexpected obstacles in the way cough school cough. Also, I went on tour in Australia (Sydney and Cairns) for two weeks. By now, a lot of my ideas need to be refreshed, and the paper on which I wrote them on has smeared. Last time I checked, that's not good. However, I'll do my best to continue. The next chapter covers the chase, and the one after that is the time-skip. I've prepared many ideas for the time-skip which I have not forgotten, and I know it's going to be a lot of fun to write that chapter! 


	7. 7 Iridescence of Rain and Snow

Warnings/Notes: Happy Birthday to Sasuke (last Sunday, July 23rd).

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm very sorry, but I also messed up Kimimaro's age.

Pairings: Itachi/Sairin, but… there's a surprise.

* * *

"Shit! Why couldn't I have woken up earlier!" Sairin screamed as she jumped out the window while running her fingers through her hair. "Everything is against me, isn't it? I bet Sasuke-chan did return yesterday. I just didn't wake up!" 

The orange glow from between the mountains belied the early morning chill of late summer. This temperature did little to calm the raging temper of the girl who never really was a morning person. _I look like shit, it's freezing, and Sasuke-chan is gone!_ Sairin continued to grumble as she ran right into the Hokage's office.

"Lady Tsunade!" Sairin yelled, her eyes passing right over the blonde who was falling asleep behind a stack of papers (which she had done little to no work on).

Tsunade lifted her head up groggily and mumbled, "What is it?"

"Where is Uchiha Sasuke?" Sairin demanded.

The Hokage perked up ever so slightly. "Rumor has it that he abandoned Konoha a couple hours ago. I have already sent Shikamaru out to gather a squad and retrieve him. Why don't you shut up now and let me sleep…"

"You alerted Shikamaru of this and not me?" Sairin shrieked in frustration. "That's it! I am going out to retrieve him myself!"

"You can't do that!" Tsunade was suddenly very wide awake. "Mitarashi-san has appointed you, who were never even an academy student, a job as both her assistant and as a Hunter-nin. You have duties to Konoha to fulfill above your own needs."

"Sasuke-chan is now considered a Missing-nin! I can go find him if I want!" Sairin declared as she decided she had wasted too much time. She turned around and flew, this time in her usual elegant style, ignoring Tsunade's protests.

_All right, Sairin,_ she thought to herself as she went. _Otogakure should be almost directly north of Konoha. I'll just leave through the north gate and walk a straight line until I reach Rice Field Nation. Then, I'll just find Otogakure somehow… I wonder if Aniki is still there._ Sairin allowed her mind to wander to Kimimaro.

Sairin was still reminiscing on her beautiful summer days spent with the survivor of the Kaguya clan when she reached the Uchiha estate. _Sasuke-chan can't make it to Otogakure alone. He's never been there before. I'm more than willing to bet that Orochimaru sent messengers to guide Sasuke-chan. If Orochimaru has these people under his employ, they must be fairly strong to catch his eye._ Sairin went directly to what looked like the Uchiha clan's arsenal for an emergency war situation. She picked up a small stock of silver shuriken, thinking, _something tells me the upcoming fights will not rely on weapons as much as on personal chakra. Back when Orochimaru first invaded Konoha, he brought four barrier specialists. I'm guessing the escorts have similar levels of ability. They might even be stronger if they went to Orochimaru for power too._

Sighing, Sairin left the Uchiha arsenal for her own munitions supply. On the way, she ran some water over her face and changed into a light blue yukata which allowed for more mobility. It was a most inopportune moment for Sairin to be reminded of Itachi, Sasuke, and the friends she had made over the last four and a half years. Among those friends, there have been three deaths so far – Haku, Zabuza, and Hiroshi.

Hiroshi was the last friend she had made before her appearance at the Summer 171 chuunin exams. After Kimimaro had told her of a lead in Konoha in summer of the year 169, Sairin returned to Konoha. However, she could find little, and never once caught sight of Sasuke in that time. She went in and out. On one such trip, Sairin revisited Takigakure. She had originally sought out to visit Kimimaro. However, he had sent word to tell her to stay out of Otogakure. Sairin listened to him, and instead went to the nearby Waterfall Nation. It was a suitable substitute, as Sairin really wanted to practice walking up waterfalls again. This was the place where she first mastered the art of controlling chakra, and she wanted to see if she could extend her skill any further.

It was here in Takigakure that Sairin met the resident rich boy Hiroshi. Sairin had merely saved him from a monstrous summon, but he made it out as if she had caused the world to revolve the other way. Hiroshi was a nice kid as far as she could see, so she couldn't understand why he behaved as if she were his best and closest friend. It did seem that Hiroshi didn't have any other friends. Throughout Sairin's stay, the thirteen year old boy spent all his time helping Sairin as if he were a servant. Hiroshi even gave Sairin a new yukata since her old one was ruined in the skirmish. He also presented her with _Tsunami Jidai_, a sword of less value than _Kusanagi_, but nevertheless a rare and renowned sword.

Later on, Sairin poked around in the night. She found the boy's family records showing that he was the only surviving heir of the family. His parents had died the year earlier. She also went to the servants' quarters where she overheard conversations of conspiracy. The servants had planned to get rid of Hiroshi and forge a will that would split the family gold among the conspirators. Even the monster which Sairin had defeated had been planned by these schemers.

The very next day, Sairin asked Hiroshi whether or not he knew how to fulfill his duties as the only family member left. He didn't know. She asked him if his will was in a safe place. He said he didn't plan to die anytime soon. She told him of the servants' plotting. Hiroshi chose that very moment to undergo a minor physical transformation. It was clear then that the monster Sairin had slaughtered a week earlier did more damage than a couple scratches. Hiroshi had been infected and would mutate into a similar demon. The servants would have won, because the demon would have to be killed.

Hiroshi looked desperately to Sairin for help because he was too afraid of death. He pleaded that he wanted her to take all his money if she would only save him. Sairin had patiently explained to him that nothing could be done and that his transformation would be permanent. He fully mutated into the demon and caught sight of himself in the mirror. Seeing the monster he became, Hiroshi then pleaded for death. Sairin prayed for his soul before engulfing him in the flames of Goukakyuu no Jutsu.

She had taken the family gold, hired the authorities to investigate the servants' conspiracy, and then left the nation with thoughts of splitting the gold between funding Rice Field Nation and Wave Nation. Right then, she had these thoughts, _consider this to be a tribute to Aniki's current living situation or to the poorer nation right beside Aniki and Haku's birthplace._

Sairin did not know it at the time, but she gained Mangekyou Sharingan at that very moment she took Hiroshi's life. Now, as she equipped the _Tsunami Jidai_ Hiroshi had given her, Sairin reflected that the way to attain Mangekyou was not clear-cut. While records say that a shinobi had to kill his/her closest friend to get it, Itachi had not had to kill Shisui to attain his. _He merely panicked – perhaps he found he still had something to live for. I guess there was a loophole if certain prerequisites are met. For me, it was probably because Hiroshi considered me his closest friend, and that was enough._

As Sairin left the elaborate estate with a small supply of provisions, she was so distracted she ran around forgetting that her destination was the north gate. She would have continued going the wrong way if a voice did not call out, "Princess Sairin, where are you going?"

Sairin whirled around and discovered she was standing right beside the youngest of the Hyuuga clan. "Well, good morning, Princess Hanabi. Some urgent business has come up, so I will be going on a mission to the north."

"I'm not stupid," Hanabi declared in a composed voice as she looked at Sairin with a neutral expression. "You are going after Sasuke, who is traveling to Otogakure. Shikamaru and Naruto came by earlier looking for Neji."

Sairin's jaw nearly dropped. "Tsunade was willing to let Shikamaru recruit people to chase after Sasuke, but she expected me to stay? Even then, Shikamaru didn't come to find me. I'm still the distrusted foreigner of the Uchiha, aren't I?"

"I'm not sure they knew where to find you," Hanabi said quietly. "But I am surprised to see that Tsunade didn't go to you first. Anyway, you were headed in the wrong direction. The north gate is that way."

Sairin blushed furiously for making such a stupid mistake. "Thank you very much, Princess Hanabi. I don't know what I was thinking."

Hanabi nodded, and Sairin set off once more, this time going in the right direction. At the north gate, Sairin saw Sakura, Lee, and Hinata looking out the doors. Sairin didn't bother with formalities. "Princess Hinata! Lee! Sakura! Did Shikamaru, Naruto, and Neji leave awhile ago?"

Sakura's face was tear-streaked and her breath was unstable because of her crying. Hinata very quietly said something, but it was Lee who filled her in. "They left about twenty minutes ago, but they were also accompanied by Kiba and Chouji."

"They could pick so many ninja who were not affiliated with Sasuke, but they refused to tell the only clansman that was available!" Sairin was seething again. "Do they think that I don't care about Sasuke-chan?"

None of them had an answer for Sairin. However, Hinata spoke up, "U-um… Princess Sairin, since you are going to go to them… would you mind bringing this… to Neji? I'm not allowed back at the Hyuuga house… but I saw him leave without bringing the usual Hyuuga medical supplies…" Hinata handed Sairin a small pouch.

"Of course I don't mind," Sairin promised. "I will make sure of all of the boys' safety. I won't let even one of them die!"

* * *

Sairin came across several battlegrounds. She recognized Shizune as Tsunade's apprentice. Shizune was in a group of four, and two of the jounin had been badly wounded. Sairin thought one of the injured ones looked familiar, but she couldn't recall from where. Then, she found the actual bloodied and destroyed earth. _Well, I guess that means it's the work of those four barrier specialists. I can't imagine who else would fight like this. There have been so many activated traps… what's going on!_

As she went further north, she found a clearing which looked as though it had been through a great earthquake. Upon closer inspection, Sairin found two giants – Jiroubou and Chouji – fighting. She came just in time to see Chouji deal the finishing blow to Jiroubou as he yelled that he would never allow anyone to be so impudent whether to himself or to Shikamaru. Sairin gasped as the cursed seal wore off on Jiroubou and his skin colour returned to normal. Not wanting to lose any time, she called out, "Great work, Chouji!" and flew through the forest with the hope that she wasn't too far behind the target.

_All right, considering how much time has passed, where Chouji fought, and how much damage has been done, they weren't moving all that fast. Shikamaru isn't stupid. If his pace is too slow or too hasty, he will know. That probably means I can pick up my own pace just a little bit._

The density of traps lessened severely. Sairin wondered what could possibly be the meaning of this, as she doubted that Sasuke's escorts expected a group of five boys and a group of one lone girl to be in pursuit. _If Shikamaru's group set off the traps, then those escort shinobi will not come back to set new ones for me. That would be foolish and a waste of time, considering they don't know about me._

Once again, Sairin jumped to conclusions too soon. She nearly tripped into a trap of a sticky golden substance. Surveying the area, she found the dead body of another barrier specialist – Kidoumaru, though she did not know him.

"I'm glad I didn't see him in his cursed seal form…" Sairin breathed in relief. "That would have been beyond repulsive… There's Neji!" Sairin gasped as she saw the Hyuuga prodigy in his battered state.

The usually composed Hyuuga noble was a mess. His forehead protector had fallen off and blood leaked from his mouth. There were several golden web kunai embedded in Neji's back. Worst of all, there were two gaping holes in his body – one on his left arm and one in his lower right abdomen.

"Neji, please be alive!" Sairin pleaded. He didn't respond, but Sairin felt a weak pulse. "What can I do? I'm no specialist in healing arts…" Sairin learned a few medical jutsu, but rarely practiced with Chiyo, and had no need for them until Orochimaru came into the picture. Once again, she used the same jutsu she had used on Sasuke in the forest, except this time with more skill. "It still has little effect… I am so incompetent… I swear, I will practice healing arts next time I go see Chiyo…"

Sairin was about to leave the pouch of Hyuuga medical entities in Neji's hand when she noticed a feather in the palm of his hand. _I don't see any other feathers having fallen nearby. It's such a strange trick of fate… Neji, you're no longer a caged bird… _Sairin reached over and left Hinata's gift in his other hand and stood up.

_I have no time to waste. There were four barrier specialists at the invasion. They are likely to be similar to Sasuke. Orochimaru saw potential in them as a new capsule for his soul, and then gave them cursed seals to expand on that potential. There are two more of them, and while they might not be the strongest opponents I have faced, they will certainly be different._

"Why haven't I come across any foes myself? Could this mean that the genin squad is occupying them fully? Or did the genin lose in the end? The two remaining specialists might have already crossed the border with Sasuke-chan!" Sairin gasped. _This land is so ravaged and desecrated with blood. There's blood everywhere… Not only that, the blood is fresh blood._

Sairin lost much common sense and flew with haste that few ninja would travel using. For all the stealth she previously had, it was all useless now as she thought only of reaching her cousin. Sairin hardly even noticed when she passed a large acreage of just fallen trees. She didn't see the destroyed plant life, Shikamaru, or Temari, even when Temari shouted, "Hey, Uchiha! Get down here!"

She didn't stop at all, until she reached a barrier of sand and caught sight of several familiar faces. She first looked down at the person sitting on the ground. "Lee, how did you get here so quickly? I haven't stopped except to treat Neji's wounds… Gaara, why are you here?" But Sairin didn't really care about Lee's speed or Gaara's presence. "Aniki, what… you…" Words failed the Uchiha.

Sairin's dear friend Kaguya Kimimaro stood before in his cursed seal form. "You told me… about Orochimaru… but you never said…"

Instantly the boy withdrew the power of the cursed seal. He appeared the way she remembered – pale, aristocratic, and beautiful. Kimimaro looked at his only friend with deep regret, "I'm sorry… I didn't think you would ever have to know…"

* * *

_Heart is of the river, body of the mountain_

_Spirit makes the sunlight, turn the world around

* * *

_

Sairin felt her legs grow weak and give in. She would never remember how she ended up kneeling on the ground or how she would up in her Aniki's embrace. "No… not again…" she whispered faintly.

"Have you found your family?" Kimimaro murmured into her ear. "Of course you have. I remember now… the name of that clan is the Uchiha. That's why you're here. You came for Sasuke."

"You let Sasuke go, didn't you?" Sairin absentmindedly asked.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I abandoned you for so long… It's only natural that something like this would happen," Sairin needlessly mused, her voice shaking.

"Go," Kimimaro commanded. "Go find Sasuke."

"We've only just met again, and now I must leave…" Sairin looked even more forlorn than she ever had, even when she heard that Haku had been killed.

"I… I'll not live to see you again. This fight will be my last." Kimimaro saw Sairin instantly look in Gaara's direction and reassured, "I will not lose to him."

"That's right," she answered after a moment. "Orochimaru gave you that cursed seal just in case he could make use of you, but he couldn't be bothered to heal your family illness. Aniki, this… first I cause Itachi-sama to take drastic measures that leave the world hating him. Then, those corrupted people had Hiroshi killed. Right before I plan to go back to the Water Nation, I am told that my first friend since I lost my memory has been killed. I'm on the verge of losing Sasuke-chan to the darkness, and now you say that I am about to lose you, too!"

To this, Kimimaro just looked away. "Please take my family fortune. I have no need for it after today, and I would rather it go to you. Part of it is hidden by the tree where we used to meet. The rest is still in Kirigakure. There is a beautiful village shrouded with year round snow. You can't miss it. It's the only place with a significant amount of snowfall in Kirigakure. If the Kaguya manse has not been pilfered yet, it's all yours."

Sairin didn't know what came over her, but at that moment she turned around and pressed her lips to Kimimaro's. _I can't lose you too. If I lost you, I don't know what would become of me.

* * *

_

_Mijikai natsu ga owari wo tsugeru_

_Sono shunkan mo kimi to mukaeyou_

_Nante koto nai mainichi koso ga_

_Nani yori mo suteki datte shitteru kara_

_Mijikai natsu ga hajimatte yuku_

_Kimi to ikutsu no omoide tsukurou_

_Taiyou wa tada hikari kagayaki_

_Nami wa itsumo yosete wa kaeshiteku

* * *

_

Kimimaro felt his resolve shatter as she pulled away. "I can not, Sairin… This is my fate. No matter what the outcome of this fight is, I will not live. Please, go on, and find Uchiha Sasuke. I am a mere shadow now."

Sairin shook her head violently, got up, and walked over to Gaara, tearfully, though no drops fell. "Gaara, is there no way I can persuade you to put down your arms?"

"I am protecting a shinobi of Konoha," he stated simply. "If that boy chooses to attack, I will defend."

Sairin felt smooth crystals of sand graze her face lightly, as if to wipe away her pain. Nodding and admitting defeat, Sairin returned to Kimimaro. "I have to settle this. When I return, you and Gaara better both be standing. He has suffered as much as we have, so I hope that we all can live."

The white-haired shinobi watched Sairin fly away, noting that she did not give him a proper farewell. _Will I die without a real goodbye from my only friend? It's true that Orochimaru found me first and gave me a purpose, but I can only truly say I was ever happy when I met Princess Sairin._ Turning back to Gaara, he said, "I don't know who you are, but if what she said was true, we were no different. I really want to see her once more, so please forgive me for causing your death."

The lord of the sand gasped, not at Kimimaro's words, but at his face. From the very beginning, Gaara never considered the boy to be one to show much sentiment, but tears were flowing freely down his face. The tears shed this day by Kaguya Kimimaro and Uchiha Sairin went on to be etched in his memory long after this fight was forgotten.

* * *

Sairin reached the border as Naruto fell. She watched Sasuke hesitate when it came time to strike the final blow. Naruto was unconscious, but he was not greatly wounded. Sasuke suffered a wound, and the falling rain did not help the gruesomeness of the wound. He stood up and stumbled to continue traveling to Otogakure. 

"Sasuke-chan, I command you to stop!" Sairin demanded with no courtesies.

Sasuke paused. Then, came his low reply, "What do you want?" He spoke with a low irritation that he had never used with Sairin before. To one less blind than Sairin, Sasuke had always loved her, and never wished her anything short of happiness.

"I want to know why you are doing this!" Sairin screamed. "Why are you abandoning Konoha? Are you that desperate to get power?"

"Yes, I am," Sasuke answered. "Please get out of the way."

"I refuse," Sairin stated flatly. "Why do you want Orochimaru's power?"

Sasuke lost his control there. "You should know better than anyone! Itachi killed our entire clan! He killed Shisui, my parents, your parents, and our clan! He left me alive to live to kill him. He told me of three people capable of Mangekyou Sharingan – himself, myself, and another I assumed to be Kakashi. Itachi made it sound as if he had even killed you! Itachi wanted me to suffer so that I would be Mangekyou and kill him!"

"Shut up!" Sairin shouted back at her friend. "Think of it this way: what if Itachi was not the one who killed our clan? What if it was Shisui who killed Itachi at the Nakano River? What if Itachi was dead and Shisui took Itachi-sama's appearance when he killed your family? Damn it, Sasuke, what if we had all fallen into Shisui's trap? If Itachi is dead, all he needs is to get you out of the way, cook up some story about surviving Itachi's betrayal, and he would become the Uchiha heir."

"One, that's only theoretically," Sasuke said. "Two, why would anyone care about being heir to an empty clan? All Uchiha have enough money to live in luxury."

"That's true, it's a false theory." Sairin took a light breath, praying for courage. "However, it is true that Itachi-sama did not kill Shisui. When Itachi-sama carried out the massacre, he only had yours and mine best interests in mind. He forbade me from telling you the full story, but Itachi-sama sacrificed his own reputation for us!"

"Do you really expect me to believe that? You are the one who has always been in love with Itachi. No matter what he says, for you it is always the truth."

"I have no evidence other than the word of Itachi, who insists on hiding this truth," Sairin admitted regretfully. "But Itachi knew that to seal his story, he had to hurt you emotionally to force you to believe it. If you did not believe it, then Konoha will not either, and his efforts would have been in vain."

Sasuke looked down at the ground, feeling the rain wash through the sky. Sairin let this moment of silence be, and wondered if Sasuke was right in saying she had always loved Itachi. After all, only a little while earlier, she had kissed Kimimaro.

Sasuke walked right up to her and pushed a strand of mussed hair out of her face. _The rain suits you, Princess. If I could, I would remain by your side forever. But this path is mine. I cannot change it._ Kissing her lightly on the forehead, Sasuke turned around and walked away; leaving the same void of emptiness in her heart that she had felt when she woke up beside the Nakano River four years ago.

_Is this all I can do? I have to stop Sasuke-chan from leaving._ Sairin took a step forward. _Please don't go, Sasuke-chan._

Sasuke paused again. "Stay strong, Princess." With that, he took to the skies.

Sairin felt weak once more. This time, her legs didn't give in. She stood up in the rain, looking blankly after Sasuke. _The rain purifies the sky. If only it would purify my life. I couldn't stop Sasuke… I could stop Sasuke-chan, but I didn't have the strength to defy him. Why am I so weak?_

For the first time since infancy, Sairin allowed the tears to fall. The rain masked her tears and even her sniffling. _How could I have just let Sasuke-chan go? Am I to weak to stand up to those I love? It's raining. I'm not crying…I came to close to it many times, but I have never let my tears stain the earth. It's just the rain._

* * *

Obviously, it wasn't just the rain. When Kakashi found her later, the tears and the rain had fused on her face. However, her eyes were red and she was hiccupping nonstop. 

"Acknowledge your tears. It is the only way to stop crying."

* * *

Sairin returned the way she came. She didn't know why she expected to meet Kimimaro and Gaara at the battleground. It had been at least a whole hour since she left them. Both were capable fighters. If Kimimaro strained himself fighting, then his illness would have taken care of the match without Gaara having to do much. 

Tragically, Sairin came across the valley of bones created by Kimimaro's Sawarabi no Mai. Thunderstruck, she finally found Kimimaro's actual location in a daze. _Aniki, you can't be gone. I have lost too many friends dear to me._ Pressing her lips to his blood-stained ones, she felt only the coldness of an empty shell. For a sudden moment, though, Sairin thought she felt sorrowful warmth. It began to rain again, and a drop of rain landed on Kimimaro's eye, giving the impression that he had cried a tear.

_Aniki, are you crying? The rain is sending you off, but I don't want you to go. Despite its purity, I think snow would be a better tribute anyway. You were born in the same snow-covered village Haku-chan was born in, except you lived in a mansion while he lived in a small house. Somehow, I believe the clear white snow would have come for you, but it just wasn't possible in this humid area. The gods don't think any less of you. Wherever you are, there will always be beautiful snow._

_I'm right here, Princess Sairin, but my voice can't reach you now…_

"I swore, Aniki, that I felt a trace of life in you for just a moment," Sairin whispered, the tears renewing. "Could I have –"

"You gave him attachment to this world," Gaara told her quietly. "His soul's been anchored here. I'm deeply remorseful that this had to happen."

"Why would you say that?" Sairin sighed. "Kimimaro was your foe. He would not back down despite his failing health. It is like you said; you only want to defend Lee. You didn't harbor ill will towards Aniki, and he you."

Then, Gaara said something that entirely contradicted Kakashi's words.

"Cry as long as you must. It keeps you human."

* * *

The next few days were a blur for Sairin. Gaara had escorted her back to Konoha where Kakashi greeted her. She had been handed into the care of the nearby Yamanaka Ino. Sairin spent two days either sleeping, sitting, or eating in Ino's room. Nevertheless, the blonde shinobi did not lose her patience, working tirelessly to care for the deathly girl. It wasn't even until the third day that Sairin spoke again. 

"I thought…" she began as if in a trance. "I thought the world had been returned to me when I met Sasuke-chan at the chuunin exams. Now, it seems as if my world's fallen apart again. I'm all alone. My family is gone. They sent my friends to death."

Ino's cerulean eyes filled with so much concern that one could literally see the concern pouring onto her cheeks. "Princess Sairin, please don't say such things."

"What can I do now?" Sairin miserably wondered. "Itachi-sama is never here, and when he is, all of Konoha distrusts him. Sasuke-chan has given us up for power in his blindness. Kimimaro is one of a few friends I made the last four years. He, Haku-chan, and Zabuza-san are all dead now – all at the hands of Sasuke and Team 7."

"That may be true," Ino said quietly and solemnly. "They were precious to you. They still are precious to you, and you are still precious to them. But you still have the rest of us in Konoha. I'm your friend, right? That Neji doesn't act like it, but he was very concerned about you when he heard that Sasuke left."

"Ino, thank you…" Sairin felt a slight weight lift from her heart, but felt another deeper one fall. "When I found Neji in the forest, he was badly wounded!"

"Princess Sairin, calm down!" Ino panicked slightly and tried to restrain Sairin in her hysteria. "Neji-kun is alive. He had grave wounds, but he'll be fine. Calm down and we'll go see him in the hospital in a bit, okay? He's fine, really!"

"Yes, of course!" Sairin gasped, nodding her head wildly. "Let's go!"

* * *

Half an hour later, Ino and Sairin emerged from the hospital, told that Hyuuga Neji had left the hospital only that morning. The duo headed for the main Hyuuga estate, though with uncertainties from both girls. 

"I hope Hyuuga-sama will let me visit his clansmen," Sairin worried. "It's my fault Neji has been so severely wounded. I could barely even give him a significant healing when I passed him in the forest."

_The Hyuuga are righteous people_, Ino thought._ They will not hold it against you. In fact, I'm worried that they will deny me entry because I'm not of high social standing._

When it was Hyuuga Neji who personally opened the gate to greet Sairin and Ino, Sairin nearly broke down into hysterics once more. "Neji-sama, are you sure you should be up? You should be resting! Go back to your room."

"No, Neji is fine!" Ino insisted to Sairin. Turning to the Hyuuga, Ino apologized. "I'm sorry; Sairin has been a bit emotionally stressed lately."

"That's understandable," Neji answered quietly and solemnly. "Please, do come in. This recent chain of events must be weighing heavily on you, Princess Sairin."

Neji and Ino led the sobbing Sairin through the courtyard and to the Hyuuga tea room built in the traditional style. Every family of medium class of higher had such a formal guest room, including the Yamanaka's and the Uchiha's. The pale lavender-eyed boy and the pale cerulean-eyed girl both gave their darker blue-eyed friend sympathetic glances as they tried to comfort her.

"I hope you don't mind that I sent for some tea," Neji said gently as he stroked Sairin's hair. "This ordeal has been very trying. It would be trying for anyone."

"I-I'm sorry… in the forest, there was next to nothing I could do!" Sairin choked through the tears that came so often these days.

"Truth be told, I don't mind at all," Neji began. _Would it be that my injuries were more severe, then perhaps you wouldn't have stopped at all, and perhaps, you could have stopped Sasuke…This is harder on you than the wounds we took are on us._ "No one could have foreseen such an occurrence. Besides, you're alive; I'm alive; let's just look forward and try to find Sasuke."

"Um, excuse me," Hinata's uncertain voice came from the doorway as she pushed the fusuma open to let herself in. "Um, I brought a pot of maccha."

"Thank you, Hinata-sama," Neji nodded respect to his cousin. He saw Hinata's eyes linger on Sairin with concern. Warmly, he said, "Feel free to stay, Hinata-sama."

Hinata gave Neji a small smile before approaching Sairin. "Princess Sairin, I must thank you so very much for delivering the medicinal pouch."

"But I couldn't do anything," Sairin lamented. "I tried to heal Neji-kun, but I have no skill in healing. I didn't even know what to do with the herbs you had me deliver!"

"It was… because of those herbs you left with Neji-sama that the medical-nin had the strongest medicines to use to buy them the time necessary to bring him to the hospital," Hinata declared in her usual small voice, but with a firm force.

"Maybe you did not do much," Ino interjected, "but it seems you played a crucial role in allowing the medical-nin to do what they needed."

Sairin sniffled slightly. "I suppose so… but everyone was hurt so badly in this mess that my clansman caused. I should have been the only one hurt, and I came out with no scratches. I didn't even have to fight anyone."

_That's true, but the emotional toll on you is the worst of all the casualties_, Ino tried to say. The words wouldn't leave her mouth. Her throat was stuck and her tongue was tied up in knots. _Sasuke was her only family member left, and now he has abandoned her. Along the way, I also heard another of her friends was killed. Oh, Princess Sairin, you have so much reason to hate the world._

Hinata then spoke up. "Princess Sairin, I will not let Sasuke go, because of all the pain his treachery has caused you."

Everyone stared at Hinata. Never before had her voice seemed so resolute. "He was your clansman. He was your family. He should have yielded to you, but he didn't. For that, I will help find Sasuke and bring him back!"

A moment of silence followed, most likely to commemorate Hinata's sudden outspokenness. Then, Neji smiled. "I, too, will aid you. Sasuke was selfish in his actions. He has caused much trouble for everyone."

"Don't forget about me!" Ino added, perking up for the first time since she had heard about Sasuke's departure. "We're all your friends, and we won't give up until Sasuke pays for being the most insensitive jerk on the face of the earth!"

Sairin was speechless.

* * *

Sairin's momentary confidence boost was soon to be shot down. It seemed that the scandal of the Uchiha clan affected everyone's view of her. Sairin never really was trusted all that much, having resurfaced only months earlier during the chuunin exams after a four-year disappearance. After Sasuke's betrayal, many of the shinobi had felt that the Uchiha clan was unstable and that they ought to keep their distance. Walking through the streets of Konoha, Sairin sensed people tensing up and giving off a bitter-cold aura. 

However, she did find solace in a number of friends who did not abandon her. The new allies, all friends she had made since the chuunin exams, included Ino, Neji, Hinata, Anko, Asuma, Kurenai, Kakashi, and Gaara, who made several visits to check up on her condition. Surprisingly, even Sakura stood up for Sairin one day.

"There's the Uchiha princess."

"Look at her. She's a complete mess. What have nobility come to these days?"

"I don't know, but they shouldn't look like the town's most depressive drunk!"

"Why don't you shut up about things you don't know?" Sakura yelled, her green eyes flashing. "When you go through everything she's gone through, you can come back and tell me what you think you should look like!"

Then again, Sakura's infatuation with Sasuke didn't exclude just the tiniest bit of concern for him personally. She may have just gone with chasing after the "rich, talented pretty boy", but there was some kind of connection – having been teammates for several months, an abrupt severing of ties was still moving.

The last few days diminished what was left of the Uchiha clan's reputation. With three living clansmen and only one legitimate Uchiha, many in Konoha no longer viewed the Uchiha with esteem. One was heard to have said, "Sure, they're all powerful and good-looking as ever. But now they seem so commonplace. How many clans are smaller than the average family?"

Not that that man did not have a point, but his words stung as painfully as ever. _I guess I've ascended to the position of heir to the Uchiha clan_, Sairin thought poignantly. _I never dreamed that I would be heir to my clan – not when I was eight, and not even after I remembered Itachi-sama and Sasuke-chan. Now, I am materialistically better off than I ever was before. I am entitled to the entire Uchiha fortune, I have the entire Uchiha estate to my name, and I don't have to perform to make a living. But now, where did my world go? Where are my two best friends? Where are all the friends I made during my four years alone?

* * *

_

Indeed, Sairin had a grand ascension ceremony for becoming the heir of the Uchiha clan, as tradition mandated. Sairin asked for her friends' support during this time of adversity, and they gladly answered her pleas. For one whole day, the streets of Konoha were showered in countless cultivated cherry blossoms, apple blossoms, and plum blossoms to mark the beginning of a new era for the shrunken clan. Sasuke had refused this ceremony after Itachi's massacre, but this time, the betrayal had been "less severe" and the heir in question was nearly thirteen and not an eight year old child. Sairin wandered through each street dressed up in a multi-layered kimono, much more extravagant and much heavier than the single-layer yukata she usually wore. Ino had taken it upon herself to prepare Sairin's hair and makeup. Ino set several flowers in Sairin's hair: a Golden Ray Lily to represent the alliance between Sairin and the Hyuuga children (Lilium auratum); a Fire Lily to represent the power of the Uchiha (Lilium bulbiferum); a Crimean iris as a tribute to her fallen friends (Iris lutescens); and a handful of Star Jasmine flowers to represent purity of the heart of the new heir.

Despite all the hardships this ceremony meant for her, Sairin could only stare in awe at Ino's mastery when she caught sight of her own reflection in her mirror. Sairin's pale skin looked no darker, but the foundation Ino used gave off a glow. The Aqua Shimmer eye shadow set off Sairin's turquoise eyes spectacularly. The mascara thickened Sairin's eyelashes to help mask the slightly dark circles around her eyes. Ino had focused on making exquisite arcs of Sairin's eyebrows. For her lips, Ino had used a transparent shine to give a more natural feel. Ino had even painted a rendition of the winter on Sairin's nails – a white background transforming ever so slightly into a tinted blue colour as it reached the edge of her nail.

_I am, at this moment, more beautiful than I ever was_, Sairin believed. _The one in the mirror is a beautiful girl worthy of marrying Itachi-sama. Today might even have been my wedding day if everything had not happened. If only things weren't so complicated, then perhaps I could smile on such a grandiose day._

"Which set of earrings do you want to use, Princess Sairin?" Ino asked happily, holding out a pair of crescent moon earrings and a pair of dangling rhinestone earrings.

"I've already told you to call me Sairin," she sighed. "As for the earrings, I doubt anyone will notice them with these lovely blooms you have arranged."

Ino looked slightly abashed. "At first I wondered if it would be too much, but if I removed even one flower, there would have been an empty feeling for what was not represented." As Sairin did not speak, Ino continued, "I am no one to tell you what to do, but you should at least put on a strong front for the Uchiha clan. The strength of your image will be how the world views the Uchiha. Right now, the clan's image is a bit tarnished, but I have all the faith in the world that you can make it right again!"

_Ino… you're right as always…_ Sairin smiled awkwardly as she felt the tears threaten to flow out again. _I will find Sasuke, but I can't let everything else fall apart while I do so._

"Now don't go crying!" Ino scolded her playfully. "What did I just say about looking strong? Besides, you might wash off part of your makeup."

"Haha…" Sairin laughed demurely. "Well, then, I'll go make a trip to Itachi-sama and Sasuke-chan's rooms, then. They were the previous heirs, and now, I will be heir to their clan. I have to at least let them know that I will do my best."

Ino said nothing, but smiled, while thinking, _she won't get over them, but who can blame her? They're her only living relatives left. Besides, the situation calls for it._

Sairin silently entered Sasuke's quarters, right near the quarters Sasuke had given her when she returned to Konoha. _Last time I was here, it was right before you left. _Pushing open the fusuma, Sairin knelt by Sasuke's bed.

_Sasuke-chan, wherever you are, pray receive my message. I will now become the heir of the Uchiha clan. I just want you to know, that I was never trained for such a job. I was a mere girl of a distant line of the Uchiha. The closest thing I ever had was being engaged to the most likely heir, Itachi-sama. Even though no one prepared me for this, I will do my best to surpass all expectations. I will return glory to our family._

Opening her eyes, Sairin fought tears. Before, she never even created tears. Nowadays, it seemed so difficult to restrain them. Sairin pushed herself up and found herself lured to the various trinkets she had not searched through last time. Upon finding a cute figurine of a ninja who greatly resembled one of the earliest known Hyuuga, Hyuuga Hikari, Sairin had to smile. _This is more like the Sasuke-chan I remember. You're always seeking to go beyond human limits to get stronger. You always idolized talented shinobi like Itachi-sama and this Hyuuga._

After staring at the miniature Hyuuga Hikari for a long time, Sairin began to sort through other figurines – largely comprised of Kage from the shinobi countries. In the corner of Sasuke's drawer, hidden behind all the figurines and trinkets, Sairin came across several packages wrapped in high quality paper. Taking them out, Sairin gasped as she saw that each had envelopes addressed to her. Gently, she removed the card of the small package wrapped in a lovely paper with a simple snowy design.

* * *

_Dear Sairin,_

_You would have turned ten today if Itachi didn't kill you two years ago. You were always the one who both understood me and misunderstood me. You always knew when something was bothering me, and it's really hard without that, especially since everyone else is gone too. But there was always something you never understood, and I guess you probably never will. You died loving Itachi, didn't you? Well, anyway, happy birthday to you Sairin._

_Sasuke

* * *

_

Hands shaking Sairin carefully opened up the wrapping paper. A small black box fell out. Sairin opened the box and found a pair of pale blue topaz earrings in the shape of seashells. She let out a small gasp. _Oh, Sasuke-chan, have you been giving me tributes every single year on my birthday?_ Sairin confirmed it by counting the packages – there were four: one each for her ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth birthdays. _If I didn't come back this year, you would still have gotten me a present in two months… All along, I never knew where I came from, and not once did I think of you. I'm sorry, Sasuke-chan._

Sairin stood there in reminiscence, though without tears. _Itachi-sama suffered because of his difficult decision. You suffered because you believed you were alone. I believed I was alone, too, but I had no one who I would have been with then. Without memories, I didn't have anyone, but I didn't lose anyone either._

Not too long afterwards, Sairin walked across the estate's vast grounds to the place where Sasuke's family had resided years ago. Many buildings had been taken down, presumably to attain the debris that covered Sairin when she was found by the river four years ago. Itachi had not been home since, and had no new quarters of his own.

At the very location, however, Sairin believed she could still feel his lingering presence. _Have you ever truly left, Itachi-sama? Maybe you were not in Konoha, but now that I think about it, you were always watching out for us. You were right here for us, but did we abandon you?_

Taking a deep breath, Sairin began to send a mental message to a post office which did not ensure delivery. _Itachi-sama, I'll be doing the job that should have been yours. No one deserves more than you to be heir to a prestigious clan. However, the times have changed. It seems that I will be the one officially leading the Uchiha's decisions and be the one representing our family. You should be the one celebrated by the ceremony today, but it seems that cannot be. So, I will do my best. Can you hear me, Itachi-sama? I will do everything it takes to do my share, your share, and Sasuke's share!_

Sairin raised her head up suddenly and looked up to the sky with a smile. To her, it was as if golden rays of light were shining down upon her, as if she had hit some sort of pleasant realization. _Yes, that's what I will do. It will be as if we are still one prominent clan. There will be no difference!_ Sairin's eyes reflected the golden sunbeams with no taint of darkness. Smiling, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted, and she had floated and merged with the great sun which held unending promises for the future.

"Princess, the ceremony is beginning," a small but regal voice broke the reverie.

Sairin gently broke the contract with the sun and looked around, finding little Hyuuga Hanabi standing before her. To her, this was ironic: having just found herself in a trance with the sun, she was now greeted by the daughter of the sun.

"Thank you, Princess Hanabi," Sairin nodded her gratitude.

To Hanabi, it seemed that Sairin had found something – something very important. Sairin had been surrounded by an aura of golden light. "Um, will you be going?"

"Of course, I just…" Sairin trailed off. Taking a breath and giving Hanabi another smile, Sairin said, "I just need a few moments. I'm ready now."

* * *

The ceremony finished without a hitch. There were those who supported the "lone girl who looked so young", those who thought that the new heir was "a lovely child, but not old enough to do anything", and of course, those who found her a completely useless kid in all aspects. 

Of the ones who stood by Sairin's side through the ceremony, there were three representatives of the Hyuuga clan – Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi, Mitarashi Anko, Sabaku no Gaara, and Yamanaka Ino, the girl responsible for preparing the ethereal child heir who appeared to Konoha. All could see, despite Ino's beautiful arrangement of flowers, that Sairin was wearing a pair of blue seashell earrings.

And even though the Uchiha were long gone, everyone could feel a firm but sorrowful presence when Sairin stepped up to receive the official title, as if Uchiha Itachi had truly been there. Perhaps he was there.

* * *

Next: Sairin takes up her duties as the heir of the Uchiha clan. She uses her own time to set up memorials in the names of her dear friends Zabuza, Haku, and Kimimaro. The loss of these companions is painful, but Sairin has no time to mourn. A new threat rises – from the dead. 

Song lyrics for Kimimaro (_Greatful Days_ by Hamasaki Ayumi):

The short summer heralds its end

I want to spend even that moment with you

These days of nothingness

With you are more splendid than anything.

The short summer has begun

Let's have memories

The sun is illuminating

The waves come back and forth.

A/N: This is a turning point somewhat for Sairin's character. However, even in the turning point of life, there really is no end to adversity, is there? I don't intend to give my character a break. Everyone is doing something useful in the time-skip, and so will she. Also, I intend to have a split ending – three different endings followed by three different epilogues. I will include omake for less likely endings I played around with. These omake will appear once we get to nearer to the end, so that it's easier to understand, and will lessen the chance of spoilers. Also, I included multiple endings, not because I want every guy to fall in love with Sairin, but because realistically, do you only have one perfect match? Could you not find yourself falling in love with a friend who has been there for you? Besides, Sairin isn't the only focus. I have a number of other pairings, which will change from ending to ending.

Another note is that I messed up Kimimaro's age. I looked at his age, which was 15 when Naruto's group met him. Except I thought it was after the time-skip, making him the same age as Sasuke and Sairin.

When I started writing this chapter, it was only a bit after Sasuke's birthday on July 23rd. Now, it is September 19th. Doesn't this show how prolific I am? I hope to write a bit faster, but it's difficult when I have a big blueprint with nothing connecting points.

EDIT: Notice, Sairin's emotional instability is really beginning to surface now. Well, wouldn't you be just a bit distressed if your two best friends were always leaving you, and many of your friends were dead, some because of other friends? Also, it seems Sairin might be falling in love with Kimimaro, and she doesn't know whether she truly loves her Aniki or Itachi-sama. At the moment, there is no future for her either way.


	8. 8 Children with the Frozen Gazes

Warnings: I have included an unlikely but not impossible event in the upcoming chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Pairings: I can't say for sure. In two and a half years, you can fall in and out of love, especially a young child who's just meeting many friends. This applies not just to Sairin but to others as well. Press "End" on your keyboard, read my notes, and hit "Home".

* * *

"Princess Sairin, it is time for your first meeting on the council," Hanabi reminded Sairin with her eyes open in a very pure way. It seemed unlikely that the Hyuuga clan could ever represent purity, as the sunny clear days seemed to always be unsettling and hiding something. Sairin had believed that a storm was the most honest weather. However, Hanabi was different. Her heart was as pure as the Byakugan.

"I am going," Sairin answered quietly. The Hyuuga clan had promised to escort her to the Konoha council meeting, but only Hyuuga Hiashi would be in the conference room with her. Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi, not being either the heir or the head of the Uchiha clan, were not permitted to enter.

Almost silently, Hyuuga Hiashi led the four through the streets of Konoha. There was reason enough for this quiet – it would not be favorable if the people heard the head of the Hyuuga clan telling Sairin how to best behave at the meeting.

Sairin felt the people's stares. _Well, I suppose it isn't every day that Hyuuga Hiashi goes out for a walk with his clansmen, especially not with a random girl who appeared out of nowhere claiming to be an Uchiha._ She tried not to let this affect her, and walked with her head held as high as she could muster – she was only 155 cm. _Keep your head up, your shoulders relaxed, your chin up, and your back straight!_

At long last, the group of five arrived at the Hokage tower. Hiashi turned to his clansmen, "This is as far as you'll get to go. Only Princess Sairin and I may proceed from here on in."

Hinata bowed to Sairin. "Um, I wish you the best of luck."

Hanabi almost inaudibly added, though with a strong tone, "You'll be fine."

Neji gently held her wrists and said, "The Hyuuga are your allies and friends. It doesn't matter what goes on in this meeting. We will persevere."

As he dropped her hands, Sairin saw the other Hyuuga nod in agreement. A slightly chilly air blew over her skin where Neji's warmth was. _Winter is coming again. The last winter I spent in Konoha as Sairin was the winter of my eighth birthday as well as the massacre. Actually, I haven't spent any winters in Konoha as Satomi. Winter is when the snow falls most beautifully. Haku-chan and Aniki should have lived, if only to see the snow once more._

All this went through Sairin's mind during the time it took to step through the doorway of a building. As the door shut behind her, Sairin's gaze dropped to the ground. There was no need for pretense anymore. Sairin followed Hiashi into the meeting room where she was surprised by the attendance.

The Hokage Sannin Tsunade sat at the "throne" of the meeting table. Hiashi took his seat to Tsunade's left, and gestured for Sairin to take the seat to her right. However, Hyuuga Hiashi and Uchiha Sairin aside, there were no other big names. A small handful of trusted jounin along with trusted ambassadors from other nations served in the meeting in place of other heads of houses Sairin had imagined. Among these trusted jounin were Mitarashi Anko, Sarutobi Asuma, and Morino Ibiki. Sabaku no Gaara, Temari, Kankurou, and Chiyo comprised the ambassadors of the Wind country. A young man named Tatsuya represented the Waterfall country, and a boy slightly older than Gaara of the Harada clan represented the Water country.

_There are as many foreigners as there are Konoha shinobi_, Sairin realized. _Not all the nations have been represented, either. This really must be important to be kept so small._

"Well, now!" Tsunade began in an overly cheerful manner. "Our representatives are getting younger every day. It seems that you are no longer the youngest, Sunao."

The boy from the Water country said nothing, just nodded. His large brown eyes seemed very familiar to Sairin, but there was no explanation for this, as she had never seen him before in her entire life. Judging from his stony expression, Sairin probably would have done everything in her power to forget him if she _had_ met him.

"Anyway," Tsunade continued, "this meeting was called to discuss the trouble with the Sannin Orochimaru's recent acquisition of Uchiha Sasuke." Her words were quite mild and toned down in revealing the severity of the situation. It very well could turn out to be apocalyptic, yet one would think a petty thief made off with a fairly loaded wallet – unfair and terrible, but not disastrous.

Everyone in the room nodded in unison. Sairin noticed that every seat in the room had been taken up – no absences. _The world is getting involved in such a personal matter. I suppose it's strange. I don't want everyone prying into my life, but it's nice that so many people care. Although, I guess they have to be worried too. If Orochimaru gains Sasuke-chan's Sharingan, he'll be a threat to the whole world._

"As you can all see, we have an Uchiha clan representative here today," Tsunade gestured to Sairin. "Princess Sairin is the heir of the Uchiha clan." At this point, the recently appointed Hokage breathed deeply to give her next words weight. "I might be stupid for doing this, but I intend appoint Uchiha Sairin as the head of all activities concerning Uchiha Sasuke. This arrangement is effective as of now." Turning to Sairin, she said with a smile, "I think you ought to be in control of this. Why don't you take the floor now?"

Tsunade added mentally, _perhaps if I let you do this earlier, you could have persuaded Sasuke to stay. Well, I'm not perfect. I will try to make no more mistakes._

Sairin looked down at the table as she stood up, but by the time she was standing up fully, she was gazing into the eyes of every single attendee. "Uchiha Sasuke has long been my brother. During the years of my life from age five to age eight, Sasuke has looked after me. Sasuke has suffered much from living in the shadows of Itachi-sama and me. However," Sairin cut in sharply, surprising the ones who had believed she would plead for them to take pity on Sasuke. "Sasuke has made clear his choice. I give permission to all the nations here – Fire, Water, Wind, and Waterfall – to use whatever means necessary to prevent Sasuke from being used by Orochimaru. Orochimaru's death is the most preferred method, however, if Sasuke's death is inevitable, so be it." Sairin took a breath here. The attendees were silently intent. "Does anyone have anything to say?"

No one moved. Suddenly, it was as if the world began to spin the other way for some; even those who had sided with Sairin before seemed to be seeing a new side of her. _It seems that the new kid isn't as childish as she looks… If she had begun to rant some idealistic view on how we must save that Sasuke, I would have smashed her face in_, Sunao thought with an indifferent air and expression, but inside finally taking interest – just a little. "Well, I suppose then, that we can get started. I can deploy shinobi even into the borders of Otogakure, but I can not confirm that it will yield any results. If Orochimaru's fortress is ever found, my shinobi will not enter, and instead will report the information back to me. Forgive me, but I will not foolishly send my people to death."

"That's fine," Sairin agreed, "I prefer it that way. Hard gained information like that would best not be lost so soon. Is there any way the rest of us could deploy ninja with such a plan in mind?"

Gaara looked from his sister, to his brother and finally to the master Chiyo. They met his gaze and promptly nodded. The redhead spoke up, "The Wind nation will comply. You have no worries about abandonment from Sunagakure." It wasn't hard to see that he still felt remorse about Kimimaro, though his words were quite literal.

The representative of Waterfall pondered this longer. At long last, he said, "That is a good plan. However, my village's numbers are small. I can not divert any men from my nation. Instead, I will be the lone representative in Otogakure," Tatsuya declared.

Sairin was a bit surprised. _One man seems a bit risky. _"That is very well, however, I must request that you be in contact with our other allies," she gestured to Sunao and Gaara. "A solo mission may be undetected for awhile, but you may still need help."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Tsunade interjected with an encouraging smile. "Tatsuya is Waterfall's brightest and most talented shinobi. His ability is not widely broadcasted, but that is why Tatsuya can travel alone. If word got out that Tatsuya was the most powerful of Takigakure, then people like Orochimaru would wait for him to leave and seize the chance to take over Takigakure."

"Is that so?" Sairin asked. "I've been to Takigakure many times… I must have missed you every single time. Well, I have faith in you, but I still want you to have backup. That's a command from the head of the investigation!"

"That will be done, my lady," Tatsuya obliged.

"Now," Sairin turned to Tsunade, Anko, Ibiki, Asuma, and Hiashi. "How much can Konoha contribute to this effort?"

Anko flipped through her records book. "Konoha really doesn't have any shinobi to spare. We've been worn thin. We may be one of the biggest nations, but the last attack really wore down both Fire and Wind nations. Many of our ninja are already working overtime to the point that it's unhealthy."

"What about the ninja who are not working overtime?" Sairin inquired.

"That would include the recently made chuunin Shikamaru, the genin, and the academy students," Anko answered. "They're really not fit for such work."

Sairin was silent for a moment. "I know the medic-nin can never be shortened. Are there really no jounin, special jounin, Hunter-nin, or Anbu who could be deployed?"

"There are next to none," Anko repeated. "You could beg to take a select few of your friends, but that would put them in great danger."

"Well, that can be a last resort," Sairin decided. "For now, I will be Konoha's single representative, just like Tatsuya-san. I will go out and find Uchiha Itachi, and have him aid our quest."

"Did you just say that you're going to enlist the help of an S-ranked criminal to chase another S-ranked criminal and his wayward little brother?!" Tatsuya asked incredulously.

The room went silent. Rustlings of garments from adjusting into better positions ceased. Pens were dropped as all stopped entering their reports into record books. Any side discussions on how to best approach the daunting task were silenced.

"Itachi-sama is no criminal," Sairin quietly said. _It seems that outside of Konoha, Itachi-sama's innocence has not spread._ "Shisui's death was not caused by Itachi-sama. However, Shisui's death caused Itachi-sama much mental pain. In his attempt to set things straight for me and Sasuke-chan, Itachi-sama somehow came to the conclusion that he needed to destroy the clansmen who shunned the three of us."

"Uchiha Itachi still killed an entire clan, save for you, Sasuke, and the ones who were deceased before that bleeding day," Sunao stated. "He is still a murderer, is he not?"

"Must you question every action I declare?" Sairin grumbled in her annoyance, though to an outsider, anyone could be justified in being wary. "Itachi-sama is a good person. Every single clansman he took the life of had a reason for death. Each one contributed to our suffering. Itachi-sama, Sasuke-chan, and I were the outcasts of the clan. There was no reason. We were just outsiders. Maybe Itachi-sama committed a number of murders, but he only had good intentions in his heart, never malice. Itachi-sama is still our constant friend and ally."

Hyuuga Hiashi cleared his throat and heaved a sigh. Though he was a great shinobi in his youth, time had taken its toll on him. "I support the actions of Princess Sairin. I met Uchiha Itachi a long time ago. He was not an evil person. Besides, the current story that Itachi might have killed Shisui has gaping holes."

"Does it?" Sunao questioned. "It seems quite obvious that Shisui has died, and the only person with the opportunity and caliber to kill him was Uchiha Itachi."

_Thanks._

Sairin slammed her hands on the maple wood of the table. Feeling the pain of the tree, Sairin regretted that action, but not her feelings. "What would you know about it, Harada-san? You know nothing about Itachi-sama."

"Maybe I am not familiar with Uchiha Itachi," Sunao quietly said. "However, I was chosen to represent my nation. I must be sure of my people's safety. Leaving my people's well-being in the hands of the boy who killed an entire clan can not simply slip past me unquestioned."

"First of all, Itachi-sama is older than you are," Sairin seethed. "Secondly, Itachi-sama did not kill Shisui. Third, only a truly evil person would not have murdered my clan in this situation. And lastly, Itachi-sama could fly solo and report only to me. No one else has to deal with him if he or she does not wish to. Does anyone besides Harada-san wish to comment?"

The silent room stared at her. Sairin stood firm, but inside realized that losing her composure was probably not the best action. Finally, after a long period of silence, Tsunade intervened. "All right, everyone. This meeting is officially over. Everyone, please go enjoy the gardens of Konoha if you will. Autumn is a beautiful season with maple trees displaying their reddest leaves!" Tsunade feigned a cheerful spirit as she ushered everyone out of the conference room.

* * *

Sairin heaved a sigh in a non-elegant way as she followed Hiashi out. Quietly, she forced the heavy words out of her mouth, "I really messed up, didn't I? I should have held my tongue better."

"You did fine, child," Hiashi reassured simply. "It takes courage to speak what you believe. It is not a sin to speak your mind."

"It's not just my mind," Sairin answered, a bit bitterly. "It's the truth. Itachi-sama did not kill Uchiha Shisui. Itachi-sama never was that type of person. All he ever thought about was helping me and Sasuke-chan."

"I don't doubt that," Hiashi replied calmly, but with a hint of exhaustion in his voice. "I really can not believe that Uchiha Itachi would have changed."

"He has not changed!" Sairin firmly asserted, conveniently forgetting that Hyuuga Hiashi was both a powerful shinobi veteran as well as the head of the Hyuuga clan. "I will prove to the world that Itachi-sama is as benevolent as he always was!"

_I'm sure she will eventually reach that day_, Hiashi wearily found himself thinking. _After everything, she will not give up. She and Neji are so alike. They've been through so much. She'll make it. The Lord does not curse his creations._

Suddenly, their quiet walk was broken. Ino was running towards them looking a bit flushed, but whether it was because of good or bad, they could not tell. "Princess Sairin, there is news from the Hokage!" she told them breathlessly.

"Has Tsunade issued a new order of some sort?" Sairin wondered. "I just met with her a few moments ago. What could she have done?"

"Well, you know how the chuunin exams back in August were ruined, right?" Ino reminded. Seeing Sairin nod, Ino continued, "Well, we're going to have chuunin exams again soon. It's nearly December, and the next exams are in February!"

"Ino…" Sairin began hesitantly. "Do you realize that those chuunin exams are still two months away? Two months doesn't really qualify as a short time."

Ino gave Sairin a knowing glance. "That may have been true a long time ago. Now, it feels either as if time passes so slowly, or time passes too quickly that there is no time to accomplish anything. This is one of those times when I feel as if time is just mocking me by leaving me behind, eating dust."

_Now that I think about it, Ino-san has a point._ Sairin thought of the day Sasuke left, the day of the Uchiha ceremony, and the meeting. _When Sasuke-chan left, I felt as if there was simply no time. Meanwhile, the ceremony to become the heir of the Uchiha could not have taken longer._

Hiashi made his presence known once more, only to remove it. "It seems you girls are a bit busy, as am I. I will leave you two be for now. Farewell."

Sairin and Ino both nodded and kept their heads low out of respect for the lord of the Hyuuga clan. When Hiashi was out of earshot, they stood straight again.

Turning to Ino, Sairin then said, "Ino, I have something to ask of you."

Hearing the graveness in Sairin's voice, Ino paid even closer attention. "I will do my best to accomplish whatever you ask."

Without smiling, Sairin told Ino of her plan, "Ino, I will be on a long-term project in Otogakure. If Konoha cannot spare any shinobi, then I at least will have to represent our village in the hunt to return Sasuke-chan and to kill Orochimaru."

"You can't do that!" Ino gasped. Her clear blue eyes grew wider than ever before. "What if you die? Orochimaru is an S-rank nin!" Ino grabbed Sairin's shoulders and began to shake her. Her grip was surprisingly strong. "Can't you leave this to the Anbu? Can't you just let Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama handle him? They are at his level after all. You'll just be walking into your death!"

Seeing that Sairin gave no reaction that she heard anything Ino said, Ino pleaded, "I know Sasuke-kun was your very best friend, and you are a very skilled shinobi, but isn't this a bit out of your league?"

"Let me explain this to you, Ino…" Sairin evenly spoke. "There will be representatives from Takigakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure. They are all putting their lives on the line to help Sasuke-chan. Please understand that I have to do this."

"There are many jounin in this village!" Ino desperately cried out. "You can take on their tasks, while they go to Otogakure."

"Ino, I am a Hunter-nin now," Sairin gently explained. "I've already shirked my duties long enough. Besides, I have a lot of work to do." Sairin looked off distantly. "Some of my best friends have passed on. I need to give them a memorial, and hold on tighter than ever to the friends who are still living."

The blonde-haired shinobi only looked away. "This is the sort of stuff that is only supposed to happen to other people."

Quiet for a moment, Sairin then said, "Life never does go the way you want it to, does it?" She thought she knew, but in reality, she didn't know how true her statement really was. There were occurrences even before Sasuke's betrayal, Itachi's last resort, and even the day the three met. There are things that people forget – or prefer to forget. "But at least cheer up a little, Ino. I will be back for the chuunin exams. You are my friend, too. Please understand that I value my friends, and I want to hold onto them."

"I know, Sairin," Ino said quietly. Then, she smiled a painful smile. "It's hard to watch your friend walk right into danger. Still, I had to make sure that you are still you, and that you are putting your life at risk for your true ideals." Quite obviously, Ino was not assured that her friend was not essentially committing suicide.

Sairin sighed. "Nothing I say will change your mind about my mission, will it? Never mind my mission, then. I will return alive, and that's what matters, is it not?" Sairin wordlessly then turned around and left. _This is Ino. She prefers to avoid these sorts of perilous situations, but she will come through in the end. This is Ino._Sairin wandered around outside Otogakure with a heavy heart. Despite the fact that she considered the village to be of no connection to herself, it was still the place she met her recently deceased friend Kimimaro. When he died, Sairin felt as if they parted without coming clean with each other. She did not know whether she simply felt extremely protective of her friend or if she truly loved him in a deeper way than the pure and innocent friendship that had burst.

* * *

It was certainly trying on a child to worry so about relationships. Children are supposed to meet others and make simple friendships. They are not expected to think of the 'why' behind everything. It was not as if Sairin was that mature either. True, she was forced to mature earlier, but one can only go so far without guidance.

Looking carefully around her, Sairin reviewed the positions of various ninja, scattered about the area. Some hid among the foliage of bright autumn leaves in shades of cerise and sunglow. The shinobi had some trouble masking their presence, but garbs of dark brown and nimble camouflage training managed to conceal Sairin's allies. While this much was true, there was uneasiness among the shinobi. They were in Orochimaru's territory – as if the thought of facing the legendary ninja elsewhere did not frighten one enough.

Sairin was certainly not exempt from such worries. Many of the shinobi from the allied lands were much more skilled – for sure much more experienced – than she was. On the way to Otogakure, Sairin noticed that she held an early lead, but also that the lead diminished very rapidly. While she was gasping for air within two hours, none of the other shinobi broke a sweat during the entire journey. Somehow, the fledgling shinobi managed to hold it together; knowing that her family and friends were causing conflicts, knowing that she was putting many valuable lives on the line at a time when no lives could be lost.

_At least I am not leading this myself._ While it was Sairin's objective that drove this motley group, everyone had to contribute his or her own ideas to the plan, as Orochimaru was far above any of their heads. It was exceedingly frustrating for a plan that seemed so fitting to then get rejected by one out of another ten or so shinobi. Each individual shinobi formed brilliant plans – for solo work. They considered how to play to their own strengths and cover their own weaknesses, but none thought of how to integrate that into a team effort. However, this deliberation was necessary; no one wished for a needless death. In fact, even though the battalion took many hours to plan for a minute's worth of work, this turned a number of life-snatching situations into close-shaves. In the late-autumn season, the heat of summer and a warmer year was no longer so affecting; this was a blessing for tempers among the "Sasuke Battalion" were frequently near boiling point.

Even though all the assigned shinobi knew the mission well, most disliked the way Sairin's mind worked. It was only with Sairin's insistence that they moved so slowly and made so little progress. With any other leader, a plan that had a 10 casualty projection was safe enough for a 'go ahead'. However, the child who could not stand losing any more lives refused to follow the usual shinobi guidelines. It conflicted with the many shinobi who knew that all shinobi were tools and readily accepted it. One death, or even two, is worth it, they said.

Deep inside, Sairin knew the others were right. It was realistically the best thing to do: form a plan that does not have to be perfect and free of casualty. In fact, she was even tired of receiving looks of scorn from everyone, particularly Sunao, the prodigy boy from Kirigakure. But she simply couldn't let go: the imagery of death haunted her, both what she knew it to be and what she imagined it to be.

_If I could, I'd like to be one of those remorseless shinobi who have managed to let go of these emotions. _Sairin found herself praying many times. It was a cold wish, filled with bitterness and uncaring intent. Yet there was no voice in her head, no conscience, to tell her that she ought not to hope for such things.

"You seem preoccupied," a high-spirited voice cut into those thoughts.

The Uchiha glanced up from her resting upon the drying grass to see Tatsuya, the solo ninja from Takigakure, bending down with a small smile. Sairin had decided that she liked the young man; from the time she met him in Tsunade's meeting room, she saw Tatsuya as a mild, fair, and pleasant person who did not hover about her, ready to pick at any mistake she made. It allowed a certain amount of comfort in conversations, especially since out in Otogakure no Sato, Sairin was far away from anyone else even close to being a supporting figure.

Supposedly the Waterfall country's equivalent of Uchiha Itachi, Tatsuya was a well-built youth whose eyes were cloudy and ambiguous in battle but lively and sparkling outside. He wasn't quite the ethereally glowing figure that Uchiha Itachi and Haku were, but his skin was lightly tanned to a milky latte colour, giving off a sort of arrogantly radiant aura. Clearly, it came from battles under the sun as well as by moonlight – on a warm day such as this one, when Tatsuya folded his shirt sleeves upward that, by birth, one could see that Tatsuya was a fair-skinned man. Blessed with ocean-blue eyes and windswept blonde hair which complemented him well, Tatsuya never was a loner despite his superiority in ability over other shinobi his age – unlike Itachi who, despite his skill and hereditary good looks, never had legions of girls chasing him nor any friends besides Sasuke and Sairin. Also unlike Itachi, Tatsuya had explained that his parents were middle-classed shinobi; he was never in the limelight for his background.

Tatsuya reached a strong hand downward and ran it through Sairin's hair, mussing it along the way. "I know what you're worried about." He gave her a reassuring smile, though as if he was not truly seeing Sairin. At the moment, it was as if Tatsuya was speaking to someone else entirely. "You're worried about your fiancé, Itachi. You're worried about all of the friends you have in Konoha. Now, you're worried about this team you're leading on a mission that's more personal for you than business."

"It would be better if I were leading a generic mission that doesn't involve the fate of the world," Sairin grumbled and reluctantly admitted while sinking her head lower until her nose touched the tips of the blades of grass.

"You never have commanded a squad before, have you, much less such a large team," the man remarked good-naturedly. "It doesn't surprise me. I was several years your senior when I first led a three-man squad. However, Lady Tsunade believes you can do this, because you have more motivation than anyone else to get it done right."

"I am also the least experienced candidate to do this," Sairin tried to continue a feeble barrier of excuses. "I have fought by myself for most of what I can remember. Sometimes, I would have a friend or two, but we fought as individuals, in-sync with each other, not as leader and follower."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, right now, you are suggesting that Lady Tsunade appointed you for no reason," Tatsuya shrugged, his golden locks billowing in the warm un-seasonal breeze. "Anyway, be on guard, Princess Sairin. Orochimaru is not a fool. He knows that people will try to interfere. He suspects that someone will try to investigate, so please be aware at all times. You can not trust even the villagers."

"I have been here before," Sairin simply remarked, as Tatsuya left. _I have doubts that the villagers would remember me, for better or for worse. Certainly they would not know me as Satomi, because I never performed here._

_I wonder if Sasuke-chan is here right now. Maybe Sasuke-chan is recollecting some good memories in our past… Then, perhaps there will be hope._ Sairin wished upon the brightest star visible: the sun. _Please do not let Sasuke-chan be too far gone. Please do not let his mind be consumed by his need for power._"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH! That's enough! Cut it out!" This demanding, bestial howl broke the silence an hour before sunrise in a region slightly to the north, in between Otogakure and Takigakure, where it was much cooler. In the peripheral area, astounded yet furious yells of "Are you fucking insane? It's four in the morning!" from villagers who needed their sleep to work the days flew about. The recipient ignored them.

* * *

Kisame and Itachi had been sitting on the tatami mats of a traditional inn for over three days straight in silence as Itachi moodily stared out the window; the shark-like man had pushed himself, he really had, but he couldn't take it any longer.

Itachi blinked less often now, and his gaze became a squint. Otherwise, he showed no other indication that he had heard the raving ninja who was waving a killer blade wildly in the small room. He didn't even bother to ask for peace and quiet.

"You're obsessed with her! She's obsessed with you! Just ride off into the sunset, why don't you?" he ranted. "I mean, how useful are you being now?"

Infuriatingly enough, Itachi only said, "What hurry have you? We have no mission currently."

* * *

_What am I supposed to do?_ By nightfall in the village, ironically, it felt more relaxed, and less unsettling. A single silvery tear fell onto her ivory skin, mirroring the effect the frosted November moon had on all it kissed; the rest were under control. Sairin desperately needed reassurance, someone to tell her she doing right. Everyone in the Sasuke Battalion could fight, could strategize. But for all the talent dumped into one squad, they weren't faring well. _Where should I go? Certainly, if he doesn't wish to be found, he won't._ There were no leads. They scouted the area day in and day out. If this continued, Sairin feared the day she would have to admit she'd failed her dear friend and cousin and recall the squad from the fool's errand.

_I want to be there, for Sasuke-chan. But I don't want to be here._ It was a weary mission, one she both embraced and despised. It was her duty to save Sasuke. It was her desire to save Sasuke.

"Perhaps the timing of this is not right." Sairin conjectured. No one had any say in when fate could be most unreasonably unfair. Still, had Orochimaru lured Sasuke away at a later time, when she wasn't still reeling from the knowledge of Haku's death, when one of her other few friends during the four years Kimimaro had not just died, just maybe her mind would be clearer. _Is that it?_ She wondered. _It will look bad for sure, but if I could get some time off… Ino was right. I rushed into this. This squad will more or less be the same. These aren't games anymore. I'm not cut out for this. I can do any generic mission, no matter how difficult, but I can't handle something so personal. Everyone else can take this. For just a week, I could ask Sir Tatsuya to be my voice. Failing that, Sunao could be. As long as everyone doesn't go disappearing, the group is still balanced._"You are doing what?!"

* * *

Scanning the faces of every shinobi in the group in one panoramic sweep of her eyes, Sairin was prepared for the adverse, shocked reactions. "I'm sorry, but I have urgent business I need to resolve. It'll be but a week, and I have been with you long enough to know you will be fine for seven days without me. During my leave of absence, I expect you all to not make any big moves. There'll be no charging of the fortress, even if you find it and can break in. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

_Tsunade-sama will be furious._ Sairin and the other shinobi all well understood. After all, it was Tsunade herself who stood behind Sairin at the council meeting, and placed her in charge of this unit. How could this brat just up and out when things were roughing her up? _Well, it's not like the rest of them had any respect for me to begin with. Besides, with what I am doing, I deserve none. But I have to do it. It's tearing me apart._

"This _is_ for the greater good, isn't it?" The 'prince' from the Water nation, Sairin's ever-best-friend Sunao, questioned, rhetorically, condescendingly. His expression would lay to waste hardened warriors.

"I would…" Though Sairin could imagine it being for the better, she could not bring herself to say it. It was selfish; it was putting her personal problems first, above another personal problem that other people were dying for. What made her so special? She was an Uchiha, a name renowned for great skill and sensibility and notorious for elitism. With herself as the only survivor as far as Konoha was concerned, she ought to at least try to redeem the clan name. If she was too weak for the job, she ought to, like everyone else, abdicate the position to someone more worthy. "I would that I was sure enough to answer in the affirmative, my lord." _But I have so many doubts. And that's why I must do this: to resolve those doubts._

"Hmph."

No one could deny that progress was infinitesimal, nor that morale was overall exceedingly low (the one exception being Tatsuya). Grudgingly, each of the twelve group members consented to letting Sairin take a week off, in the hopes that Sairin will return a significantly more capable shinobi. Sairin hoped she could meet their expectations.

* * *

Sairin headed due east for Water nation, chasing the frolicking mandarin glows of the morning sun. This would mark her first time in Kirigakure with a pile of gold in tow. _No, wait, this isn't right. Haku-chan and Zabuza-san died in the Wave nation._ She paused momentarily to reconsider her destination, allowing the chill of the wee hours to catch up and drench her. The frozen maiden known as Winter heralded her impending arrival, and the nearing ocean did not hold on to the warm kisses of the sun.

_Will there be snow to greet me?_ She mentally asked of Haku. _Will I be overwhelmed with our sweet memories here? Will my memories – mine to ever keep – be lucid, now that I am returning? Please say it is so. I have been such a wreck. I need clarity right now, and I want so badly to clearly see everyone again._ As much as she loved Itachi and Sasuke and appreciated the new friendships from Ino and the Hyuuga, Sairin's cherished memories during her four years of non-identity were lifetime treasures that she could never recreate.

Though she had hoped to take a ship to Water Nation, Sairin considered heading south into Fire nation and heading to Wave Nation from the port city instead. She stalled indecisively for minute, and then two. Before she knew it, twenty minutes flew by. It was warmer now that the sun had climbed higher into the sky, and Sairin half had an urge to just find a comfortable spot to take a nap. Any thoughts of rest, however, had to wait. There was a crinkle of a leaf, muted and distant. Sairin listened harder. Quietly, softly, skillfully, but surely, someone was headed her way. She leapt lightly backwards onto a tree branch, and then again higher. The approaching footsteps grew silent, but the sound of light feet meeting the bark of a great oak was barely audible. Someone had followed her onto the trees.

By now, a confrontation of some sort would be inevitable, so Sairin held out and waited. "Hello, there!" she cheerlessly called. Her hands were already on _Tsunami Jidai_; her chakra may or may not be sufficient after a night of running. Her flow of chakra never had been the best; it was often confused and unsure when she tired. _Pray let it be a diplomat. Let it be quick._

Sairin wasn't going to get her wish. A man in his twenties or early thirties stopped on a maple fifteen feet from Sairin's sequoia, though on a slightly higher branch. He was not incredibly powerful, nothing like her dear Itachi-sama, but he was no novice either, and he was amply armed with shuriken. On top of that, he was in peak physical form despite his age.

"You're easy to read," he remarked.

This was one Sairin didn't hear often. "What is it that you want of me?"

He smiled unsettlingly and ignored her. "Tell me, girl. Are you the one known as Shadow Princess?"

_So, he has nothing to do with the Uchiha mess or Orochimaru._ Sairin was a bit relieved. _It's been awhile since I last had mercenaries looking for the Shadow Princess._ "And so what if I am?"

His grin turned mad. "Oh, I do _so_ love a good fight. I love it so much more when I get paid a plum paycheck for it too. What a happy day this is, indeed, that I should come across a bounty worth enough gold for me to drink out my days!"

Sairin couldn't tell if he was merely acting, or if he was for real, speaking like this. _So he is a bounty hunter, is he? That's odd. Before, it was just a few people sending bands of mercenaries after me. It's never been so bad that people place bounties on my head._ Her brow furrowed and the skin on her forehead creased. These days, she seemed to be taking after Itachi in aging.

Without warning, the bounty hunter attacked with his kunai, that insane grin still plastered on his face. Sairin barely had time to counter with _Tsunami Jidai_; the man was extremely fast. _That's funny. You'd think someone so much weaker than Itachi-sama would be relatively easy to block. Whenever we sparred, I always lost, but I also accustomed myself to tracking his speed._

He was relentless. He didn't see a child of not yet thirteen years; he only saw a target, a piñata that would yield gold. Sairin used Hyousen on him, aiming jagged hailstones at the ninja, but he acted as if they had no effect as the two struggled on. She drenched him in water; he only slowed a little. Tiny jolts of electricity were all Sairin could muster, and even though water conducted electricity, he just wouldn't seem to be hampered by anything. There had already been close calls. Sairin had nearly been unable to avoid two killer slashes of that fearsome kunai, and she was ready to collapse.

And she did. Backed into a tree, barely able to keep her eyelids up, Sairin could only watch as the bounty hunter's mouth widened even further at the prospect of giving her a slow, excruciating death. She could already feel herself, stationary on the ground, burning under the sun as she bled out.

A shadow jumped out of nowhere and suddenly the bounty hunter was nowhere to be seen. Sairin could hardly register her newfound good fortune. _Itachi-sama…? Are you here to save me?_ She heard one deafening scream of agony from twenty meters out, and then it was silent. "Itachi-sama…"

"Are you stupid?" came the cold answer. It wasn't Itachi at all, though he would have done anything to save his friend. It was Sunao, who honestly couldn't care less.

"W-what are you doing here?" Sairin stammered like the village idiot, though she snapped out of her wistful state.

The older boy only gave Sairin a scornful look. "Saving your ass, that's what I'm doing." He glared at her patronizingly, with those familiar yet distant brown eyes, for a few minutes more before he added as a straightforward explanation, "Progress is minimal. Shinobi don't travel alone, especially when they are incapable. I hail from Water nation. I was the natural choice, since I am the best our country has in the Sasuke Battalion."

_And yet so impudent_, Sairin thought, as much as she didn't like her prospects if he had not shown up. She wished she could have taken Ino along, even though Ino had her own genin squad to work for. It would have been a lot more pleasant with a good friend; Tatsuya was just generally friendly. In fact, Sairin considered that with Itachi, Sasuke, Ino, and Hanabi around, Kimimaro and Haku also, they could together overcome anything. She was so lost in reverie that when it suddenly slipped away, one could nearly hear the thud of Sairin's head being grounded. _Oh, let's all get together for a barbecue party, shall we? That's NOT going to happen!_

"So, we are headed for Water Nation, are we not?" Sunao impatiently reminded Sairin. "Are you too tired to travel or something?" Razor-edged words cut at her, but by now, her mental skin was calloused and dry; it wasn't so much that she was numb, just that they didn't hurt as much – not when compared to what she viewed as Sasuke's betrayal of such a pure, innocent friendship.

"I am quite tired." Sairin sounded the part. "I actually thought of heading to Wave nation first. I think I can make it there, at least."

Sunao tch'ed at her. "As if!" Without warning, Sunao knelt beside Sairin and forced her onto his back. "I'll blow Sasuke if you could even make it to the nearest village!" Despite her mental protests, her body was so fatigued and achy that relief even in the form of a piggyback ride from Sunao was much welcomed.

They were silent much of the way to the port town. It wasn't as bad as Sairin would have imagined it to be, but Sunao just had to break the peace.

"Hey."

"What is it?"

"Why are you so obsessed with that Uchiha Itachi?"

It wasn't a question Sairin ever expected; she didn't believe Sunao understood the concept of relationships between two human beings. "He is my best friend and my fiancé. I love him. Wouldn't you love your fiancée?" Sairin considered that possibility that he would say no.

Sunao snorted. "Oh, sure, an arranged betrothal means you love someone. What I mean is you hardly remember him. From what I have heard, you, Itachi, and Sasuke have happy-happy-joy-joy memories together, but you only remember fragments of the whole. How can you love someone like this?"

"It wasn't all happy!" Sairin defended. "We were close because we didn't belong in the clan. Besides, I remembered a lot of very important moments. It may not be everything, but it's enough for me to feel just how real our friendship was."

"You can't be in love with a shadow, a memory." Sunao seemed a little less argumentative now, a little more distant, like he was drawing upon experience for his life philosophy. "Just like back there, where you jumped first to Itachi when I saved you. Itachi may or may not love you. He may want to always be there to catch you when you fall. But Itachi is only human. He can't always be there, so you can't always expect him to be there, just by virtue of 'love', if you can even call it that. How old were you prior to the massacre? You'd just turned eight, having known him less than four years during a stage in your life when you don't understand too much. How do you know you two haven't idealized your relationship? How do you know everything will just become a happily-ever-after in the end? How do you know? How can you believe so?"

Though there was some truth to be acknowledged in Sunao's words, Sairin could not just accept that it wasn't real. After all, it was everything she'd lived for in the last few months, and everything she'd lived for before the massacre – before Itachi's final despair. "I don't," Sairin admitted, trying hard to hold back a hot wetness that threatened to escape her lashes and journey down her face. "But I still believe in it. It's all I have."

It was clear from Sunao's expression that he didn't truly believe Sairin was in the right. However, he changed the subject. "Hm. So why are you so dead-set on going to Water nation anyway?"

Sairin was quiet for a moment. "Two of my dearly departed friends were born there. One of them and his mentor both rest in the Wave nation. The other friend is the heir to the Kaguya clan, whose body failed him in a battle with Lord Gaara. I intend to raise memorials in honour of them, perhaps not this time, but some day." Her mood was tremulous; even Naruto would have felt it.

"Tell me more about the one with the mentor."

"His name was Haku." Sairin felt an emptiness throb excruciating in her chest, yet found her voice also filled with pride. "He hailed from a line of shinobi with a bloodline ability to wield ice. His abilities focused on ice needles and his ice-mirror illusion trick to complement his speed.

Sunao stiffened when he heard of Haku's abilities. "He wields ice, does he? But does he affiliate with any clan name? After all, during the era of great discrimination against ninja with bloodline abilities, most clans either vanished or were killed."

"I asked him about that," Sairin said, trying to hold herself steady. "It was from his mother's side. She'd pretended to be a civilian and married a nice, normal man. They were happy until his father caught Haku using his water and ice-wielding abilities. He killed Haku's mother for the deception, and tried to kill Haku too." Her voice cracked; how could anybody look at Haku with intent to kill? "But Haku didn't have control of his skills, and created huge ice spears that killed his father and ruined his hut in his fear. That was a long time before I met him… it was probably when I'd just met Itachi and Sasuke."

Sunao sniffed in disapproval at her fixation over Itachi, but said nothing.

"Then, Haku met Zabuza, a wanted man… It is a difficult coupling to understand, but both of them were so alone. And then I met Haku, and he was pleased to be accepted by someone his age. We trained and sparred together, though it took Zabuza a while longer to accept me. Haku always won the first time, but after a year of wandering and picking up new and old skills, I won the first match when we reunited. But then Haku started winning every match again. He was not only a master of ice and adept at one-handed jutsu, he was brilliant. I could never outsmart him… though now I often wonder whether having Mangekyou Sharingan would ever alter the outcome."

"He wields ice, one-handed, effectively?" Sunao sounded both strained and in awe.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, it's just that ice is a difficult element to wield," Sunao explained thoughtfully, and without any spite. "I would not be surprised if you with the Sharingan could do so better than others, but for such skill, there could not be many options."

"… What are you talking about?"

"I am almost certain that this Haku is a distant relation of mine."

Sairin gasped. "Are you serious?"

"I most certainly am." His voice was wry once more. "Harada is a normal name. It is a peasant's name. My family was once known as the Hyougan clan – no, we do not have any special doujutsu – but we changed it to Harada when the persecution began. My family wields ice, and a good number of us can do it single-handedly."

It was difficult for Sairin to picture gentle, kind Haku and sarcastic Sunao in one family, but the more she saw them in one image, the more their small resemblances became pronounced. Sunao had Haku's fair skin and exact eye-shape and colour. If their abilities matched, a biological tie was the best explanation.

When they reached the port town, Sairin was still in shock, so Sunao ordered a room at the seaside inn instead of pressing on to Wave Nation.

* * *

As much as his placidness had irked Kisame at the inn, Itachi was having trouble maintaining an emotionless façade. He wore just one expression, but it was emotion nonetheless. When he'd felt certain Sairin was traveling away from her group, Itachi had followed a leisurely pace behind, and dropped back further when another followed her. When Sairin had encountered the bounty hunter, Itachi was left in doubt. He understood her diminished capacity after travel, but believed her capable of fending for herself, not increasing his pace any. When Sairin had fallen, drained of energy, it had been another who had been her reluctant prince-on-a-white-stallion. How could that boy – Sunao, who wasn't more than a year younger than Itachi, really – match him in speed? Sairin excelled in speed, but Sunao _matched_ him – tirelessly.

When Sunao had questioned Sairin's motives for loving Itachi, he could see the sense in his words. _But it's all true!_ Itachi protested silently. _For me, it was all true. Even though I was just thirteen when we parted, even through all of these years… it was all real for me. Please believe me. Please don't doubt me._

Even the revelation of Haku's heritage affected Itachi. Haku was Sairin's first friend after she woke up with memory loss. He hailed from a clan with bloodline abilities much like the Uchiha and the Hyuuga. Itachi knew all that. Haku had once been Itachi's refuge. When Itachi bled inside at the pain he'd caused Sairin and Sasuke, Haku had been his tourniquet by being Sairin's friend – by being something good that had come out of Itachi's weakness.

Itachi's face was still slightly contorted with pain when he watched the pair reach the village from a mile away. "They're safe…" _No more opportunities to play the hero. I've used up all my chances, haven't I?_

* * *

A/N: Pairings may seem shaky at times, but there are some pairings I have settled for sure. This is NOT a harem-fiction for Sairin or for Ino or for any other character. At a young age, they will drift and get to know all types of people, but true love is different from affection and interest.

NOTES: I need to re-check the manga. At the time I created the timeline for this fic, there were no canon 'years'. However, since the revelation of Uchiha Madara, there has been a timeline, and I honor that. Still, it is all but impossible for me to change the story. Please also note that I began this chapter literally almost two years ago. Also, the name "Hyougan" means "Ice Eyes", even though there is no doujutsu in the Hyougan/Harada clan.

Was it terrible? Was it all right? Let me know, and what I can do to improve. Thank you!


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